The Hero's of Olympus: Vesta's Daughter
by Miette in the Rain
Summary: Taking place a few weeks after THE LOST HERO, this story continues the fight against Gaea and sheds some light on what has been happening to Percy while Jason was at Camp Half-Blood when one of Jason's Roman friends shows up.
1. Roman Invasion?

A/N This is my first fic in a very very long time, so please bear with me as I get back into it. _Construrctive _criticism is more than welcome, though nonconstructive flames will be soundly ignored. The title is a working title. I would welcome anyone interested in helping me to edit! Those, please understand that this first chapter was written and uploaded between 11:15pm and 3am.  
Mostly, this is something I've been toying with and decided to write to help me deal with the long months between now and the Son of Neptune. This is taking place shortly after the close of The Lost Hero.

Thank you for reading!

Miette

**Disclaimer** Nothing that comes from the imagination of Rick Riordan or is from the Percy Jackson and the Olympian's Novels or The Lost Hero belongs to me.

* * *

Bia took a deep anxious breath. She knew that if she were a stranger walking up on the Schola like this she'd be quickly dead, or at least maimed and taken prisoner till they could determine who she was, what her business was, and how she should be handled. However, for Percy's sake, and hopefully Jason's too, she had to try this. She'd have already incurred Lupa's wrath by leaving the boundaries of the Schola without her blessing and by herself, so she may as well follow through with her plan. At least, if she succeeded she may redeem herself in the mother wolfs eyes and her comrades. Besides, what seemed to be the plan of Lady Juno was a moderately sound one, and it coincided with the dreams Bia had been having. It was time for her meet more of her extended family and Godly related relatives. It was past time for the whole family to be brought together and she was determined to do her part.

Reaching up, the girl checked the placement of her Pugio, the dagger carried by Roman Legionnaires, camouflaged in a sheath that doubled as a clip to hold her thick auburn hair in a bun. This and her Spatha, or long sword, were the only two weapons she was currently bearing. Everything else, including her armor, were packed away in her Sarcina, the packed carried by Legionnaires. Her Roman upbringing caused her to balk at walking into what she knew to be potentially an enemy stronghold thusly unprepared, but she knew she was otherwise as prepared as she could be and trusted her mothers guidance to follow her dreams and help to bring the two sides together. Besides, she didn't think it would look well to walk into Camp Half-blood speaking peace but dressed for battle.

With a last breath, Bia walked the last few minutes of her journey into Camp Half-blood. She heard as the alarm was sounded announcing the presence of an unexpected outsider. As she reached the thinning of the woods before the camp proper, she was impressed with the small band of campers who surrounded her. They appeared to be a patrol of some sort. They stood, in shorts and bright orange tee-shirts, surrounding her, weapons at the ready. Bia spread her empty hands before her in a gesture of peace.

"Please, I am Bia daughter of Vesta, Tribuni Angusticlavii and Praefectus Fabrum of the Roman Schola. I come in peace from the Schola and wish an audience with," she stumbled over the strange name she'd pulled from her dream and placed into her rehearsed speech "Chiron and your leaders. I also wish to see Jason Grace if he is among you."

A boy standing in front of Bia and just to the right glanced at the girl beside him, who evidently was the leader. She gripped a wicked looking spear and looked at Bia with distrust.

"Vesta?" the boy asked.

"Our 'Hestia'." Said a male voice standing behind Bia. She didn't dare turn to look. "I didn't know Hestia had any children."

"Those titles are Latin. Mine isn't good enough to translate…"

For the first time the leader girl spoke, "Tribuni Angusticlavii, equestrian officer, and Praefectus Fabrum, Leader of the artisans? Is that correct daughter of Hestia?"

"Emendo," quickly, Bia changed her Latin answer into English, "Correct, yes, Dux." Bia saluted the girl after the Roman fashion, her right arm outstretched, parallel to the ground, the fingers of her hand together, flat.

"Dux?" Another voice, this one belonging to a girl Bia could see out of the corner of her eye off to her left.

"Umm…" Bia wracked her brain for the closest translation, only ever having used this title in Latin, "Leader? Commander? It has no particular rank, but evidently this girl," here she gestured to the girl who had translated her titles, "Seems to be the leader of your patrol." The boy who had questioned who Vesta was laughed. "She's got you picked out Clarisse."

"Well, you're in luck about Jason, he and Piper and Leo just got back from their quest earlier this week." Clarisse said, "No more small talk, whistle or not; the others will be worried and waiting for us after the alarm going off." Turning to Bia she said "Daughter of Hestia we need to take your weapons for right now, I'm sure you…"

"Yes, of course," Bia removed her Spatha from its sheath and leaned over and laid it on the ground as far in front of her as she could. Quickly it was picked up as she debated if she should remove her Pugio or not. She decided to. It wasn't as though she was going to be able to take down a whole camp with it, and if she got desperate, the bracelet on her left wrist expanded into the six Plumbata usually clipped inside her shield. If necessary, these darts would at least allow her to go down fighting.

The small patrol lead Bia the rest of the way out of the woods, still surrounding her, alert for any movement on her part. When they reached clearing of the camp proper, Bia was taken by what she saw, both the campers ready to face any threat she may pose or go to the aide of Clarisse and her patrol of they whistled for aide after the alarm had been sounded and by the beauty of the camp. Where the Schola looked like an army encampment, and military training camp, Camp Half-blood looked like an incredible summer camp.

"Stand down!" Clarisse called to her fellow campers waiting armed and ready. "Where are Chiron and Jason!"

"Here!" Both male voices called, hurrying toward Clarisse and her small party.

"Bia?" Jason stopped dead, shocked when he saw and recognized the petite Roman girl standing at the center of the Greek patrol.

"Legatus legionis," Bia saluted Jason as she had Clarisse, and swept into a curtsy keeping her head bowed.

"Orior," Jason said, not even realizing he'd spoken Latin when telling Bia to rise from her obeisance. Bia smiled and threw herself into her lost friends arms. Continuing in Latin out of habit, she said "We've missed you." She let go of him and stepped back so she could get a good look at him.

"What are you doing here? Lupa…"

"Has no idea and will kill me, but I had to come. It's a long story, besides Percy…"

At that, Annabeth who had come to stand by Chiron and Clarisse with the other cabin leaders spoke up "Percy? What about Percy?"

Bia looked at Annabeth evaluating, then broke into a big smile, "You're Annabeth! Oh!" she switched to English, realizing that she and Jason had been speaking in Latin after hearing Annabeth question her in English. Bia ran and hugged Annabeth with nearly as much enthusiasm as she had Jason.

"I can't believe I found you so easily I _thought_ you were going to be a demi-god! Sorry," she stepped back smiling sheepishly, realizing that perhaps this girl wouldn't like a stranger hugging her so familiarly.

Jason laughed, also switching back to English, "Bia's very friendly." Turning to Chiron and having unconsciously adapted the more formal manner of the Romans for situations like this Jason said, "Chiron, fellow campers, may I present Bia McCarthy, daughter of Vesta and my," Jason didn't notice, but Bia saw one of the girls standing with the leaders of the camper cringe when he said 'my', "Tribuni Angusticlavii and the Praefectus Fabrum of," he paused, "the Roman Camp."

"You don't have that memory yet?" Bia asked looking at Jason when he faltered at the name their camp. He shook his head, irritated. "I'm sorry, Mamma told me that I can't push or encourage your memory too much. Hopefully, simply my presence will help."

"Yea, I guess." Jason was still irritated.

"Bia, you are most welcome here at Camp Half-blood. Lynett," he turned to the girl to Bia's left, "I think we can return Bia's blades to her." The girl handed the sword and knife to Bia, both of which she sheathed.

"_I_ need one of those! Fashionable _and_ useful!" a female voice from the crowd said. The girl who Bia had noticed cringe at the word 'my' turned toward the voice.

"No, Lacy, you do not. Not until you have more training in knife fighting."

Lacy sighed, "I've been practicing with Annabeth! I'm getting better."

Annabeth smiled, "She is, it's true. Maybe for your birthday. Now," Annabeth turned to Chiron, "should we head to the big house?"

"Yes. Cabin leaders, meeting in 15 minutes, everyone else back to your regular activities. We'll discuss everything at dinner tonight."

With some grumbling, everyone broke up. The campers were irritated at again not getting to know what was going on immediately, but were pleased to not have the responsibility that went along with the privilege for the cabin leaders.

"Malcolm," Clarisse turned to the boy on her right, "you finish leading the patrol."

"Sure." He turned to his patrol mates, "Come on guys." As the patrol left to finish their duty, and Clarisse and the other leaders to do whatever they needed to before the meeting, Bia realized she was alone with Jason, Annabeth, and Chiron.

"Well, come on," Annabeth said, "Let's head up to the Big House and wait for everyone. Bia, will you tell me what's going on with Percy before the meeting?" Bia didn't want to have to tell any part of her story twice, but she figured this poor girl who must have been going crazy with worry deserved what relief Bia could give her.

"Of course, Amica." Bia put her arm through Annabeth's and the two girls walked slightly away from Jason and Chiron as the four made their way to the big house.

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Again, thank you for reading!

Miette


	2. A Crumb Falls into Place

A/N-xXxrouxXx for your review! Thank you to my subscribers and thank you to everyone who read my first chapter. What a nice, warm welcome back to Fanfiction writing.  
Happy New Year to everyone!

Thank you for reading!  
Miette

**Disclaimer** Nothing that comes from the imagination of Rick Riordan aka is from the Percy Jackson and the Olympian's Novels or The Lost Hero belongs to me.

* * *

In Bia's presence, Annabeth felt better then she had since the morning she woke up and Percy was gone. The Roman girl had an aura of warmth and comfort surrounding her that enveloped Annabeth the moment Bia took her arm. They walked in silence for a moment as Annabeth closed her eyes and reveled in the comfort she felt, a nice change from her recent feelings. The warmth and comfort reminded her of a few weeks ago when she and Percy had fallen asleep in each other arms on the couch in his mother and stepfather's living room, or the way she felt when she went to her father and stepmothers, now that her relationship with them had improved so greatly. She felt like she was where she belonged, home, safe, loved. They settled into the porch chairs farthest from the front door.

"A benefit of hanging out with the daughter of the Goddess of Hearth, Home, and Family," Bia said with a smile, being familiar with the look of contentment on Annabeth's face, "I do wonders for your stress level."

"Thank you," Annabeth sighed, "I needed that. I've been balancing on a knife edge since Percy disappeared. Maybe before that, even. Things don't go so well for such a long period of time for us." The smile on Annabeth's face turned rueful; if it weren't for Bia's presence the smile would have been bitter, but such a negative sentiment was difficult with Bia around. "I'm sorry; I'm not usually one for sharing or griping."

"It's ok, people do with me. I don't mind, it's part of what I'm able to for my friends." Bia reassured her. "Now, the bones of the story, Percy is fine. He is safe, he was accepted at the Schola. Once he proved his skills with blade he carried he was taken in by me, Kota, Gwen, Hazel, Bobby, and Rey, when he was in with us, he was in with everyone. We hoped he would be able to help us find Jason, but he had just about no memories when he first came to us. Vague, cloudy things," Bia shrugged, "nothing that pointed us to Jason."

"Did he…" Annabeth hesitated, she didn't want to sound paranoid by asking her question and she was concerned by the answer Bia would give her.

"Did he get along particularly 'well' with any of the girls at the Schola?" Bia squeezed Annabeth's hand. "Only Mica," she smiled and quickly relented, "but she's our seven year old 'Crumb', so, I don't think she's any competition. Other than that, no, he didn't. He didn't remember you _exactly_ when he first came to us, and some of the girls did try their luck, but even in the beginning, he knew he'd left someone behind, wherever he'd come from. He kept saying he knew someone missed him and was looking for him. That he'd left someone he didn't know what to do with out. Bits and pieces of you and your relationship were some of the first things that he remembered. When I left, his memory still wasn't complete, but I was able to get enough from him to find my way here and to know you, if I found you," Bia smiled.

"Excuse me," Piper stopped a few steps from where Annabeth and Bia sat, their heads close together in conversation, "everyone is getting settled for the meeting." The look on the girls face was closed, Bia could tell that Piper was not comfortable with her appearance at the camp.

"Ok, we'll be right in." Annabeth and Bia rose from their chairs. Piper turned, not waiting for the other two girls. "Bia," Annabeth stopped Bia from following Piper, "Umm, what about Jason?" Annabeth whispered, her eyes shifting towards Piper who was disappearing through the front door.

"What? Oh!" Bia followed Annabeth's gaze and her train of thought. "No, not in awhile. He and Reyna went back and forth, but what she likes is power, not him, or any particular guy for that matter. They're like brother and sister anyway, they never worked. If he were to…develop any sort of special relationship with a girl here, he wouldn't be betraying anyone back home, though there may be a few mildly bruised hearts. He's not with anyone even a little bit."

"Oh good." Annabeth was relieved; she would hate to see Piper or any girl Jason had inadvertently left behind, as Percy had left her, broken hearted.

"Jason deserves to meet someone, it's very hard at the Schola to have relationships, but I think a girlfriend would be good for him. I'll have to see what I think of this girl."

"I think you'll like her," Annabeth said as she held to door to the Big House open for Bia. "In the short time I've know her and Jason, she does seem to make him happy."

"That's what matters."

There were two empty seats at the table, which even without Bia was more packed than usual. On one side of Jason sat Piper on the other side was an empty seat which Bia took. Annabeth took the other empty seat, between Bia and a red headed girl who was sitting beside Chiron. Everyone grew quiet, interested in what Bia had to say to them.

"Great, now will someone tell us what's going on?" One of two twin boys sitting across from Bia spoke, as his brother tried to stealthily throw the ping-pong ball he was holding at Clarisse.

"Connor, put that ball down, Travis that is why we are gathered here. Practice patience." There were titters around that table at Chiron's suggestion that the boy improve his patience. Chiron turned to Bia, "Bia, these are our camp leaders." Bia thought she saw the centaur cringe slightly as he glanced at the twins, but he continued, "You've met Clarisse, daughter of Ares," he indicated the girl who had been leading the patrol, "and Annabeth, daughter of Athena." From there, he continued around the table, naming everyone. Bia tried to remember names and parentages, while connecting the strange names of the Gods to the names she was familiar with. She was not surprised that the twins were sons of Hermes, or Mercury as she knew their father. On the other hand, she wasn't sure what was the bigger shock, that the girl interested in Jason was a daughter of Aphrodite, the girl seemed much too down to earth, or that the girl Annabeth sat beside Oracle of Delphi. A pretty redhead in a privet school uniform was not what she would have come up with if someone asked her to describe Lord Apollo's Oracle. A teenage boy introduced as Nico, son of Hades, and a Satyr standing beside Chiron were the reasons why even without Bia the table was more packed than usual.

"Well," Bia bit her lip, "my turn now." She glanced down surprised when she felt something placed in her lap. She saw that Jason had picked up Bia's Sarcina and taken out her crocheting she always carried with her. "So you're starting to remember more details?" Bia asked him.

"A few." He shrugged, to everyone else he said, "That's how Bia usually spends our meetings at the Schola, keeping her hands busy."

"Yes, anyway," she didn't even look at the yarn in her fingers as she began her story, working the stitches as though her hands had a mind of their own. "I'm not one for idle hands and I get a knack for domestic skills from my mother. Now, my story. Percy came to us two and a half weeks ago. Usually, half-bloods come to the Wolf House at the age of seven where Lupa meets them and determines if they will be brought to the Schola as pups, half bloods don't just show up at the Schola."

"Wait," Rachel, the oracle, interrupted, "What if Lupa doesn't decide to bring them to the Schola?"

"She does," Bia patted Rachel's clenched hand reassuringly, "it's said that if you're not worthy, she'll leave you, but I've never heard of Lupa leaving a poor defenseless seven year old, though after the pup years, some children are sent away or choose to leave, but that's not till they are a teenager."

"Oh, well, I guess that's not so bad." Rachel sat back.

"That's not how Percy came to the-the Schola?" Nico hesitated over the unfamiliar word.

"No, the Schola has an ocean beach and he just sort of washed up on it one day."

"Oh geez," Jason put his head in his hand for a moment, "that can't have gone well."

"It almost didn't." Bia shook her head sadly, "However, your Percy is an impressive fighter. As a general rule, we are much more aggressive, less open and trusting then you guys here are." Clarisse made a noise at Bia's statement. "As soon as he arrived, I'm afraid he was forced to prove himself in a fight. Unlike where you guys were ready to fight, but gave me the benefit of the doubt."

"Who?" Jason asked.

"Bobby," Bia replied. Jason nodded as she continued, "Bobby is another of our officers. Under Jason there are five officers including myself and Bobby. Above Jason is only Lupa at the Schola. Lupa arrived toward the end of the fight, I'm not sure what she had in mind to do, but I think she changed her mind when she saw the boys fighting. I had the children over in the dunes, which is why Bobby was so aggressive _and_ distracted, we're very protective of our young ones. I had a good view of what was going on from where I had been reading with the children. I recognized Percy as a boy from dreams I'd been having for a month at the time, though I had no idea who he actually was. I left the children hidden behind the dunes and ran over to the fight. I knew Percy was on our side, I had to do something."

"Yes, because Crumb was going to let you." Jason muttered, his head now on in his hands on the ping-pong table.

"Oh, so glad the details are starting to come back to you. Now, stop interrupting. No, Mica didn't let me get away from her." To everyone else, Bia elaborated, "Mica is one of the little ones, she's rather attached to me, she's a tiny little thing, so the boys and many of the kids started calling her 'Crumb'. She stayed put with the others for a moment or two, but just as I reached Bobby and Percy, Mica came rushing down the beach toward us. The boys were fighting fiercely and I didn't think either of them noticed my arrival or Mica's. I was very close to the boys and as she reached me, Mica tripped and ended up right in the middle of the boys sword fight." At this, it wasn't only the girls around the table who gasped. "If Percy hadn't seen her or acted so quickly," Bia shook her head, "He grabbed Mica with his sword free arm and put himself between her and Bobby as a wall of water came up from the ocean a few feet behind him and wrapped around he and Mica. Lupa ordered Bobby to sheath his sword, and slowly, Percy lowered the wall of water enough to talk. He couldn't answer anything about who he was or where he'd come from but Lupa declared only the son of Neptune could have controlled the water like that to protect himself and Mica. Anyone willing to protect a young one is ok in our books. None of us understood much about what was going on, but what was evident was Percy was a strong demi god, the son of the Lord of the Sea, didn't represent an attack on the Schola, was a great swordsman, a fighter with quick wit and reflexes, and willing to risk himself to protect a child he didn't know. He was in after that."

Everyone was silent for a few minutes taking in the story.

"What of the dreams you mentioned you'd been having?" Piper asked.

"In the dreams, I was interacting with both people I knew from Schola, and people I didn't recognize, but my dream self knew them. One of which was Percy." Bia looked around the table, "actually, I recognize some of you from my dreams. There was a great threat coming from the earth, but we were all preparing to fight it, the half-bloods from the Schola and the 'other half-bloods'. That's how I thought of the demi-gods I didn't recognize, you guys, the other half-bloods. The dreams grew more and more detailed; some people were working on a flying ship?" at this Leo whooped.

"My awesome war machine!" Everyone looked at Leo with various looks on their faces, some of amusement others of annoyance, "Sorry." He went back to fiddling with the pieces of metal he'd strewn on the table.

"Sure?" Bia looked confused about Leo's statement.

"Now you have to explain," Piper nudged Leo who was sitting on the opposite side of her as Jason.

"Oh, ok, well. I think the ship in your dream was The Argo II, we're building it for the war against Gaia."

"Great! It looked pretty amazing in my dreams. Basically," Bia continued, "I believe the point of the dreams were less the details and more the feelings, that the demi-gods of the Schola and this other half of our gods descended family," here she gestured to everyone around the table and the camp outside the windows, "Had to be brought together to deal with the next threat that was coming. My mother encouraged me to follow the dreams, I knew I had to come find you guys, reunite the family. I had to do it for Percy, and Jason, and all of the rest of us, too. That's how I came to be here. Percy wanted to come with me, but I knew in my heart I had to come myself, and he was needed at the Schola, the whole can of crazy that happened with Juno and Gaia and the deaths being reversed." Bia shuddered slightly, "Especially with Jason being gone, we couldn't lose two fighters, but I needed to follow this path. I needed to follow what my dreams were telling me."

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A/N I hope everyone enjoyed this chapter. Please, any _constructive _criticisms is greatly appreciated!

Thanks for reading!  
Miette


	3. Catch Up

A/N-Short Chap I'm afraid, sort of setting up for what's coming up next.

Thank you for reading!

Miette

**Disclaimer** Nothing that comes from the imagination of Rick Riordan aka is from the Percy Jackson and the Olympian's Novels or The Lost Hero belongs to me.

* * *

Bia let the voices weave around her as everyone had discussed what she had just told them. She felt exhausted, mind and body. Her journey to Camp Half-Blood had been surprisingly trouble-free, thank the gods, each and everyone of them, yet she still felt drained. She wanted to be home, in the place she knew, she wanted to be with the people she knew. It had been wishful thinking on everyone's parts to think that they would have peace and quiet after the Titan War. Things simply didn't work that way.

"I'm going to show Bia around, if it's ok with you guys, Chiron?" At the sound of Jason's voice, Bia looked around and realized the meeting was slowly breaking up.

"Of course, go ahead Jason." Chiron waved a hand. Annabeth was in the corner, deep in conversation with Nico, Rachel and Grover, Leo was saying something quietly to Piper, who glanced at Bia as they walked out of the room. The others were making their own ways out of the room.

"Come on , Bi." Jason put his arm around her shoulders. Once they were outside and away from everyone, he continued, "You edited that story didn't you?"

"A little," Bia shrugged, "It was all true, though. Mica did get in the middle of the boys sword fight and Percy did protect her. He has been accepted by everyone. There was no need to cover the few, unpleasant for Percy days between the sword fight and actually being completely accepted. For starters, it makes us look bad. Secondly no use them worrying or getting upset unnecessarily."

"Yea, makes sense. What did happen though?"

Bia glanced around, making sure no one was paying attention to them as they walked through the camp, "He was kept under guard for a lil bit, Bobby was convinced he was playing dumb with him whenever he went to question him. I had gone to Lupa about my dreams before, and I kept going to speak with her once Percy showed up. I knew he'd been in my dreams. It took some convincing, I pulled in a few favors around the camp to keep Percy comfortable, Bobby wanted him on bread and water, no bed," Bia rolled her eyes, "he meant well. We all thought Percy was connected to your disappearance and Bobby was feeling the strain with you gone. Enough of this, it's depressing me, I'm so, so over everything!"

Jason hugged Bia tightly, "It's ok, Mamma Hen, this afternoon will be rest, relax, fun. Tomorrow we'll figure where we're all going from here. I don't think I've ever seen you this stressed, you're always just take taking care of everyone and everything in stride."

"Yes, well, this is a bit outside of my comfort zone. Anyway, about this Piper girlie?"

Jason tried to suppress the sheepish grin that his lips formed at her name, "what about her?"

"You like her? Annabeth was asking if you left a girlfriend back home because she was worried about Piper."

"I do like her, Piper, a lot, and," he swallowed hard, "I didn't, right?"

Bia laughed, "No, you didn't."

"Ok, good." Jason was relieved, "I didn't remember one. I remember a few dates with Reyna, but I didn't remember being in a relationship. I don't have all, or even most of my memories back yet, so, I was worried. I didn't want to hurt Pipes or another girl back at the Schola."

"You're safe Casanova." Bia was happy that this guy who was like a brother to her seemed to be finally loosening up a bit, acting more like a human than a like general.

* * *

"Come on, Beauty Queen," Leo steered Piper out of the room. She had been unhappy since this Roman girl who was so friendly with Jason showed up, "You know she's no competition for you."

Piper glanced back at Bia, "She's pretty, but it's not that per se."

"Then what?" Leo was confused. If Piper wasn't concerned about Jason's friend from his old life, then what was bothering her? It was when Bia had shown up that Piper had become bottled up.

"I can tell they're not together, but I'm worried that Jason left a girl back at the Roman camp and she'll remind him. He could have, you know. I wouldn't want to come between him and a girl he was already dating before he knew me, and I don't want my heart broken either."

"Yea, he could have. I don't think it's likely, though. If he'd been in a serious relationship, I don't think even Hera could have wiped away every trace of strong feelings. You're the daughter of the goddess of love; do you think it's possible for love to be wiped totally from a person?"

"No, I guess not."

"There you have it. If you're so worried why don't you ask Bia? She seems nice."

"You think she's pretty, not nice, there is a difference," Piper laughed at Leo's blush.

"She seems nice, too. I've got to go to Bunker 9 to meet Nyssa and Jake about the Argo II. If you don't want to talk to Bia, Pipes, ask Annabeth what she thinks of her."

"Alright, thanks Leo, I'll see ya later." Piper turned back toward the Big House, not sure if she was going to follow Leo's advice or not.

* * *

"Where's Thalia?" Nico asked when he, Grover, Annabeth, Rachel and Chiron were left alone in the room.

"I was hoping one of you guys would know. She told Jason she was coming to camp, she should have been here by now." Annabeth replied.

"She's probably just held up in Hunters business." Rachel said reasonably.

"Maybe, but if she told Jason she would be coming to camp, wouldn't she have IMed?" Grover asked.

"I've tried IMing her myself and had no luck. I haven't said anything to Jason yet because I didn't want to worry him, but…" Annabeth trailed off, "what do you think, Chiron?"

"Hmm?" The Centaur had been gazing out the window deep in thought, "I think there isn't much you can do at the moment, Rachel has a good point, Thalia is likely on The Hunt. If we've had no contact with her at the end of the week then we will try to contact Lady Artemis."

Annabeth nodded unconvinced. She had a bad feeling about what was holding her friend up.

* * *

A/N Reviews and constructive criticism are appreciated!

I hope you enjoyed!  
Miette


	4. Big Brother

A/N-Thank you very much Arielle and Aurora for the reviews! I hope everyone is having a good weekend! Enjoy this nice long chapter...You've got to love writing with a few glasses of wine!  
Thank you for reading!

Miette

**Disclaimer** Nothing that comes from the imagination of Rick Riordan aka is from the Percy Jackson and the Olympian's Novels or The Lost Hero belongs to me.

* * *

"Mamma, I feel so anxious about this." Bia sat by the central fire while her mother, looking like a 9 year old girl, tended the flames.

"Sweetling, what is making you feel anxious?"

"I feel out of place being away from the Schola, I feel like I'm missing something, I'm waiting for something to go wrong, I think. I feel as though I haven't completed my task yet."

"Well," Hestia stood back from the fire and looked at her daughter, "the Schola is your home, it's where your hearth fire burns. Of course you feel wrong being away from it. Though, truth to tell, I sort of like Camp Half-Blood better then the Schola."

"I can see that." Bia said glancing around, "It is much more home like…"

"But it's not _your_ home, not right now. For your other concerns, you haven't completed your task, I believe you'll find that you're wrapped up in what's going on and will be going on till the bitter end. However, you've successfully completed your first step. You're here; you've made it to Camp Half-Blood. You've found Jason and you've reassured Annabeth of the safety and commitment of the person the Fates have intertwined her with. You're doing your part for all of Western Civilization, Demi-Gods and Gods. You are bringing together the two halves of the family of the Gods children. Who better then you, child?" Hestia cupped Bia's cheek, smiling warmly at her, "there is much you are still missing, much we are all still missing, but all you can do is follow your path. Right now, that means falling into place here and making your ember burn bright, you will help strengthen the fire of Camp Half-Blood."

Bia took her mother's hand from her face and kissed the palm, "Yes, Mamma, thank you."

Hestia returned to tending the fire, "Have you made any friends here yet?"

"I like Annabeth, and Rachel the Oracle seems quite nice. Everyone seems kind, I think I will, they just don't know what to make of me yet, and well, I don't really know what to make of them for that matter. It's so different here, everyone is so different then everyone at Schola."

"Lady Hes- Oh, I'm sry, I didn't mean to interrupt." Bia looked away from her mother to the boy who had just come around the other side of the fire, she recognized him from the council meeting. He, like her, seemed to be a bit younger than the other leaders of the camp.

"Not at all, Nico." Hestia turned to the boy with a smile, "You've met my daughter Bia? Biatryz, this is Nico, son of Hades."

Bia smiled, "Yes, he was at the council meeting."

"Oh, speaking of, I need to go to Olympus for something; please would you both excuse me." With that, Hestia was gone, leaving the two teens alone by the fire.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt you and your mom, I thought Jason was showing you around."

"He started to, but I sent him off to go talk to Piper for a little bit, I think my arrival has made her a bit uncomfortable, so I wanted him to sort that out. Meanwhile, with no one to really talk to I decided I should come pay respects to my mother anyway and this was a good time."

"Well," Nico made a split second decision that shocked him, "why don't I show you around?"

"Sure," Bia stood and put her arm through Nico's, "where to?"

"Umm," Nico didn't know what to make of her arm, decided to go with it, "let's start down by the cabins."

"K." After they'd walked a few minutes in silence, Bia spoke up, "Why were you going talk to Mamma? If you don't mind my asking." She hurriedly added.

"I like your mom. Not a lot of people come talk to her, and, I don't know, talking to her makes me feel good. She's warm and, accepting, I guess is a good word."

Bia nodded, trying to let Nico speak as long as he would. She got the feeling that he, even more so then Annabeth, was not someone who opened up. Bia had the thought that Nico had a lot to open up about.

"Ok, so these are the original cabins for the Olympians," Nico gestured to the right of where they now stood at the u of cabins farthest from the Big House, "there is the cabin for my dad," he pointed to a dark, creepy looking cabin that definitely seemed to suite Nico. "There are the newer cabins, we're eventually going to have a cabin for every god and goddess, or at least everyone with a child here."

"Wow, really? No more tons of people bunking in with the Mercury, I mean the Hermes, kids?"

"Nope, it was part of Percy's deal after the Titan War. The Olympians offered to make him a god. He refused, but he 'asked' them to claim all of their children by the time they're 12 and 'asked' that all of the children are given a place here. He felt, and pretty much everyone agreed, that there would not have been so much Half-Blood support of the Titans if the Gods showed more interest in and care of their kids."

Bia nodded, "That makes sense. A lot of the demi-gods supporting the Titans, at least from our end, were the children of minor gods and goddess. If they hadn't felt pushed aside…" her voice trailed off. She was all for everyone feeling at home and part of the family.

"Exactly. Kronos's host body was a son of Hermes's who had turned traitor. Though, in the end he did die a hero. He took his own life to stop Kronos."

"Wow, that's crazy, I hadn't known that."

"Yea, well, ever since then everyone has been working hard to create a place for everyone. Though, come to think of it, I'm not sure we have a cabin for Hestia. I don't think we've had any children of Hestia."

"There aren't very many of us, it's the whole 30 years of Chastity thing. Some people think that Vesta is a virgin goddess because of the whole Vestal Virgins thing. The Vestal's weren't necessarily completely virgins, though. They had to remain chaste for 30 years, but they weren't necessarily chaste before that, and they didn't have to be once their 30 years were over. Mamma spends 90 years chaste and then 90 years not. She figured if her mortal followers can spend 30 of their years chaste, she could do three times that. Though, what would be the point of a goddess of the hearth and home with no family?"

"That makes sense," Nico said after considering it, "We'll have to figure out where it will make sense for you to stay. Anyway," they continued walking Nico pointing out various buildings, the forges, the amphitheater, the stables, the dinning pavilion. .Bia enjoyed guessing at which cabin was for which god or goddess. Walking with Bia, Nico felt good, nearly as good as talking to her mother made him feel, better than he had for a whole afternoon since he'd lost Bianca. Without Bia's presence, he'd gotten a lot better over the last few years then he when he'd first found out that his sister was dead, but he still wasn't the carefree child he once was.

"This is Percy's cabin?" Bia paused in front of the rough hewn stone cabin number three, "It feels like him."

"Yea, it's just him and sometimes his brother Tyson. Actually, Tyson will probably be visiting soon. Usually he's with their fathers armies, but he and his men have been searching for Percy."

"Oh?"

"Yea, we had a bunch of search parties. Me, Thalia and the Hunters, Grover and his Nature Spirits and Satyrs, Annabeth and the campers from here, and Tyson and Poseidon's men."

"Wow, you guys were really looking hard for him."

"Of course, he's our friend. Besides, Annabeth wouldn't rest and trust me, Annabeth in any sort of crazy emotional state is not something you want to deal with."

"I would imagine any child of Athena letting their emotions get the best of them would be something." Bia smiled thinking of her friends back home born of Minerva.

"Annabeth is something without her emotions getting the best of her." Nico laughed. They continued walking, everyone giving them surprised glances caused by Nico's uncharacteristic smile an occasional laugh.

* * *

"Well now, that's not something I prophesied!" Rachel and Annabeth .were on their way to the arena where they'd both been expending nervous energy recently and Rachel had been getting pretty good, for a mortal, with a knife and a short sword.

"What?" Annabeth followed her friends gaze, "Oh for the love of Zeus…" A few feet in front of the two girls stood Nico and Bia, laughing about something, "It's good to see him smile," Annabeth said trying to wrap her head around what she was seeing.

Rachel looked at the two younger teens, her eyes becoming glazed, "Well, I have a feeling things go well for them, if they choose."

"Good, he deserves some happiness and she seems nice. Uh-oh, maybe you spoke too soon." As Annabeth and Rachel watched, another two people noticed Bia and her tour guide.

"Come on," Rachel grabbed Annabeth and dragged her to where Jason was approaching Bia, Piper following quickly behind him.

* * *

"Jason!" Piper futilely tried to stop the boy who had just asked her to be his girlfriend, "Jason! Let them be!"

"She's like my sister, Pipes."

"Yes, but she's not your sister."

"She's like my sister, the son of Pluto-"

"Hades."

"Hades, is not allowed to like my sister."

"They just met! Who says there is any liking?"

Finally, Jason stopped, allowing Piper to catch her breath and loosen her gripe on his arm.

"You're the daughter of Aphrodite," he gestured toward Bia and Nico who were still oblivious to their audience, several feet away, "do you think there is any liking? Look at them!"

Instead of answering Piper looked around and saw one of her brothers, "Mitchell! Come help me!"

"That's what I thought." Jason turned and continued his walk toward Bia and Nico.

"Hey Jason," Annabeth and Rachel each took one of Jason's arms while Rachel winked at Piper, "where are you off to so quickly?"

"To have a have a discussion with Nico and Bia."

"Oh, well, why don't you come and train with me and Rachel instead?"

"Yea, Piper, do you want to come, too?"

"Sure, Mitchell? Great, let's all go." The girls and Mitchell tried to get Jason to change direction toward the arena, but Bia and Nico had already noticed something was going on.

"Hi guys," Bia smiled, confused to be suddenly surrounded by a handful of people.

"Ok, well, I'm going to go…" Mitchell turned and quickly made himself scarce, preferring to watching the show from a distance.

"Chicken!" Rachel called after the son of Aphrodite, receiving only a backward wave in response.

"What's up?" Nico asked, looking at the varying facial expressions of the people around him.

"Nothing, we were just going to do some training—" Piper began, again trying to urge Jason away.

"Nico, could I have a word with you?" Jason asked, shaking off the girls,

"Sure?"

"Oh, _someone_ grant me serenity," Bia muttered realizing what was going on, "Really Jason?"

"Nico?" Jason gestured for the younger guy to follow him.

"No, this is ludicrous. Nico, ignore him. You were going to show me the stables?"

"Umm, yea, sure…" Poor Nico was positively confused as Bia began to pull him away.

The three girls left with Jason were bent over laughing.

"I like having her around," Rachel said between gasps of laughter, "I haven't felt this relaxed in ages."

"Yea," Annabeth agreed, "Jason, I think you were just outmaneuvered."

"Yea, well," Jason ran a hand absentmindedly through his hair.

"What's the big deal, anyway?" Piper asked when her giggles had finally subsided.

"I'm supposed to look out for Bia, besides the fact that she's one of my officers, she's my friend. She acts like the Mother Hen, but she's the baby, sometimes we all forget. We were supposed to take care of her, we're all older, more experienced, especially me, I'm the Legatus legionis, and we messed up, I messed up bad last time."

"What happened?" at this point, Jason and the three girls had reached the arena, Piper sat down on one of the tiered benches as she spoke.

"During the titan war, we had our own traitors among the demi-gods. Namely, Anderson Quinn, son of Mars." Jason stared forward as he spoke, as if seeing the past all over again, "I'm afraid I can't say that like some of your people, he saw the error of his ways and died a hero in the end. Maybe he did, Bia hasn't talked about it. They'd been together for awhile, it was weird at first, I mean, even now Bia's so young, not that anyone notices most of the time, I guess we demi-gods grow up quickly in general anyway, and she's such a mom type on top of it, but also, they were such different people. Gwen and Reya said Bia liked how Andy made her feel girly and protected, not something demi-god girls get a lot, I'm told." Jason shrugged as Annabeth nodded in agreement with his absent friends, "I guess they were right, they'd know better than me. Anyway, Andy started to change. He got temperamental, more so then usual, brooding, secretive, keeping Bia out, pushing her away. Looking back, I think maybe he was trying to protect her in an odd way. Bia was broken hearted, and, everyone was pretty sure he was knocking her around, but no one could prove it and she gave as good as she got. When he finally left, she tried to go after him, but had no luck; we all knew where'd he'd gone though. Bia was convinced she could save him. She was insistent that the person he'd become the last few weeks wasn't really him. It sure didn't seem like the Andy we knew, but we had our hands tied. Lupa wouldn't let us do anything and we were trying to get ready for the war. Bia is always sure she can save people, help them." Jason smiled, "I think her goal in life is to see everyone happy and settled with a family and babies. Before Bia could do anything, though, Andy kidnapped her. I don't know if that was the old Andy trying to get her out of the way of the war, or if he missed her, or what. Maybe he thought she could help him? Whatever it was, the day of the battle on Mount Tam, we found Bia, unconscious on the mountain. She was a mess, one hand was gripping _Impetus_ and the other _Flamma_, her _Spatha_ and _Pugio_. She was covered in bruises, blood, ichor, and had a few broken bones. When she came around, she fought, against everyone's better judgment, but well, you don't argue with Bia when she gets like that. Truth is, she was a huge help in the battle. We don't know exactly what happened on Mt Tam, though."

Annabeth shuddered remember her own time on Mt Tam, holding up the sky, "You don't think they put her under the sky, do you? That was not an experience I would want to repeat or wish on anyone else."

"I don't know," Jason's voice was sad, "Bia was a lot quieter when we came back. She killed Andy herself, though. That I saw for myself. Walked right up to him, looked him right in the eye. She threw a barrier around them so no one could interfere and fought him sword to sword."

Rachel laughed uneasily, trying to break the sad spell woven by Jason's story, "Well, note to self, most fierce demi-gods, _not_ Ares kids, definitely Hestia's."

"Yea, Bia's fierce if you mess with anything that's important to her. She's not aggressive and doesn't have a bad temper. She doesn't like to fight, but she enjoys practice fighting, and if you piss her off or hurt someone she cares about? Watch out, that girl will kick your ass to Tartarus and back."

"Well, I don't think you have anything to worry about with Nico, he's a good guy. Quiet, a little odd, but good."

Jason shrugged, "I suppose, she's just…"

"You're little sister!" all three girls said in unison.

"Don't worry." Piper put a hand on Jason's arm. "We won't let anything happen to her."

"I wonder what was up with Jason," Niko said as Bia slowly walked down the stable aisle, patting the pegusi and murmuring compliments and endearments to them.

Bia sighed, "An overdeveloped and misplaced sense of responsibility." She didn't look at the boy as she replied.

"What does that mean?" Nico was even more confused.

* * *

"I'm afraid that it means you may have made a mistake by talking to me. Jason is very protective of me and has got it in his head that you're being friendly to me and showing me around and my being friendly in return means that we're madly and passionately in love and it will end badly for me, and thus for you. He thinks you'll hurt me and then he'll hurt you." Bia shrugged, "I'm sorry Nico. Jason has always been protective of me, but, it's gotten worse in the last few months."

Nico felt a little guilty because while he felt Jason was being a bit dramatic, he had been thinking about how pretty Bia was and how much he was enjoying showing her around. He wouldn't mind getting to know her better and spend more time with her, he could use more friends. Of course that would mean sticking around camp more, but…he realized Bia was looking at him as though waiting for some sort of response.

"Right well, no big deal, it's ok." By the odd look in Bia's eyes, it seemed that Nico's response didn't quite make sense with whatever Bia had last said. "I mean, Jason doesn't have anything to worry about."

"Right." Bia turned away quickly and continued to admire the winged horses housed around her.

* * *

A/N Thank you for reading! Constructive criticism is greatly appreciated!


	5. Dreaming

A/N Hey guys! Thanks for reading, the reviews and all of the people who have added my added Daughter of Vesta or my profile to their alerts have made me feel great and given me the confidence to continue with this story. Soon, we shall be getting into some action.

Thank you for reading! Enjoy!  
Miette

Disclaimer- I own nothing that you recognize from the books written by Rick Riordan

* * *

At the schola, Percy vigorously battled at the inanimate dummy before him. It had been hard for him to watch his new friends running around worried and upset at the loss of another one of their compatriots. Bia had made him promise though, that he would say nothing. He hoped he would hear from her soon though. Or she'd contact Gwen, or Reya, or Bobby, or Lupa, _someone_. Just so he could stop worrying about how she was doing and know if she'd had reached his camp and found the people he barely remembered, especially Annabeth. Now that he could almost completely remember her, he couldn't believe that he'd ever forgotten his Wise Girl, even a little bit for a short period of time.

"Percy! Percy!" Mica came running up to him, the seven year old evidently having evaded Gwen again. She stopped a respectful distance from the swinging blade of Riptide. As soon as he heard the girl, he halted his practice.

"What's up, Mica?" he capped Riptide and made a point of not squatting down to the girls height, knowing how much she disliked it.

"I have to tell you a secret!" she reached grabbed his arm and pulled him down so he could whisper in his ear. "I had a dream about Bia!"

"What was she doing in your dream? Is she ok?"

"Yup! She was talking to people and laughing and stuff."

"Good, but why is it a secret? Why did you tell me and not Gwen or one of the others? You know Gwen is going to be looking for you and annoyed at you for running off."

Mica crinkled her nose, "She won't notice. Everyone is hiding from her and the boys are being dumb. Lupa is going to be annoyed at _her_! Before Bia went away, she said she was going to look for Jason and your camp and find your people. I'm not supposed to tell anyone."

"Do you think that's where she was in your dream?"

Mica nodded, "Jason was there and a blonde girl, and a girl with red hair, and a boy with black hair, and fauns…" Mica paused thinking, "and more people, lots of people." She nodded knowingly, pleased with herself for remembering so well.

"Good job," Percy put his hand out for a low five, thinking that maybe the blonde girl was Annabeth, "Bia would be very pleased with you. However, she would not be happy that you came to talk to me without telling Gwen where you were going or that you and the other Nati were trying to get her in trouble with Lupa."

"We weren't trying to get her in trouble with Lupa. She's just not fun. You're supposed to teach me that disarming move with the sword anyway. Now?"

"No," Percy and Mica had almost reached the grove of trees where the Nati, or children, were supposed to be having their lessons, "this afternoon. You have to have your lessons with Gwen, I know she's not Bia. After you've been good for Gwen the rest of the day, I'll show you're the sword move."

Mica pouted, not pleased with the turn of events, "What about-?"

"No, now, go on. Grab the others and give Gwen a break. She's not used to running after you crazies!" Mica gave Percy a quick hug before following her instructions.

Bia sat up suddenly, a small smile on her lips. She knew Gwen would have trouble with the Nati without her. They just didn't listen to anyone else the way they did to her. She was also the only one with any proper patience for them. If Gwen had her way, she'd leave them locked up while she went to practice her archery. As Bia flattened the strands of hair that had come loose from her braid in her sleep she took in her curious surroundings. After a moment she remembered that she'd spent the night in Rachel's 'Cave' in the woods with Rachel and Annabeth. .Once you got past the front room, it really wasn't anything resembling a cave. Annabeth had come up with much of the design for Rachel's living area and much of the space was taken up by Rachel's artwork in varying degrees of completion.

"Oh good, you're up!" Rachel came out of the bathroom nearly ready for her day. Last night, when they'd shown her around, Annabeth had told Bia that Rachel's privet bathroom was one of her favorite things about spending the night with Rachel instead of in the camp proper and having to use the communal bathrooms. "Annabeth's already gone back to the cabin to make sure her brothers and sisters will be ready for breakfast, she's the cabin leader. You've got about half an hour. I'm sorry, I didn't want to wake you up too early."

"Thanks Rachel, 30 minutes will be plenty." Bia dived into Rachel's bathroom, thankful she'd taken a shower before bed, and got changed and freshened up for the day. She pulled on jean shorts and briefly hesitated before pulling on her new orange Camp Half-blood tee-shirt. She had five minutes to spare when she was tying her sneakers and mentally checking that she'd done all she needed to do. Her hand was wavering over her Spatha while Rachel finished pulling on her own colorfully personalized sneakers.

"You won't need that right now, unless you really want to keep it with you, though no one will think it's odd if you have a dagger or a smaller less obvious weapon. The demi-gods always have weapons on them, but except for the easily concealable ones like Percy's Riptide or that coin Jason's got, they don't usually carry their full swords except for training, capture the flag or patrols."

"Ok, sounds good," Bia checked her Pugio clip that was holding her bun in place and grabbed her Plumbata bracelet, pulling it into place as she followed Rachel out of the cave and to camp.

"Chrion and Mr. D said you could sit with us at the head table, if you would like. The campers all sit by their parents, but as we've never had a child of Hestia before, we've no cabin or table for you, besides, what's the fun of sitting all by yourself? I always felt bad for the big three kids sitting all alone," Rachel shrugged, "I guess that's just how it is, though."

"Big three kids?"

"Children of the Big Three, the brothers of Olympus. Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades. So, Thalia, before she joined the hunters, now Jason, Percy, except when Tyson is visiting, and Nico." A shadow quickly crossed Rachel's face when she thought about Nico, realizing the Bianca, Nico's sister whom she'd never gotten to meet never got to sit with her brother at Hades table or even see their cabin of Hades.

"Thalia?" Bia decided to ask about the unfamiliar name instead of questioning Rachel's sad look. She didn't want to bring up anything that could make her new friend sad so early on what seemed like it would be a beautiful day.

"Thalia Grace, she's the lieutenant of The Hunters of Artemis. Jason's older sister."

"Grace? Wait, sister on both sides?"

"Yup, one conceived by Zeus and one by Jupiter. Actually, she should be here any day now, Annabeth is getting anxious. She and Annabeth are best friends, they came to Camp together."

"Oh, so she's not that much older than Jason, then? If she came with Annabeth, I mean." By now, they'd nearly made it to the camp proper and were following the crowd of campers to the dinning pavilion.

"Oh, but are things ever that simple when the demi-gods let alone the Gods themselves are involved? Thalia was 12 when they reached Camp, Annabeth was 7, they came with another camper, Luke, a satyr named Grover. They were being attacked by any monster you could think of. Lord Hades was, displeased, with his brother for breaking their oath to not have children and had let out every monster of the underworld to attack Thalia. They had reached the border of camp," here Rachel pointed up to Half-Blood hill with its pine tree, Golden Fleece and dragon, "Thalia sacrificed herself to save the other three and her father turned her into a pine tree."

"Ok, but she's not the pine tree anymore…?"

"No, about," Rachel had to count back, "five years ago her tree was poisoned and loooong story short, Percy, Annabeth and Grover got the Golden Fleece to save her tree, which is part of what keeps the camp borders strong, and in saving the tree, she was released from it. She should have been 17, but she'd aged slowly while the tree, she was actually about 14. The day before her 16th birthday, she joined the Hunters of Artemis. I'm not sure all of her reasons, but I think part of it was that she didn't believe she was the child of the prophecy. And, that is all of the Camp-Half Blood history lesson for now. Time for breakfast." Rachel led Bia to the head table, under the curious gazes of the campers.

"Are you sure it's ok I sit here?"

"Yes, Bia, I told Rachel to bring you, we'll have to figure something out soon, but for today, this is fine."

As Bia sat, she glanced around the dinning pavilion and picked out the people she'd met from the sea of faces before her. Jason sat by himself at a table near to the front, Nico also sat by himself at a table behind Jason's. There were two more empty tables besides Jason and Nico's tables and a third farther back. Bia assumed one was for Percy, she'd have to ask about the other two. In the crowd, Bia saw Annabeth sitting at a table of boys and girls with light hair of varying degrees of very light brown and blonde. She also picked out the two Hermes brothers, Piper amongst a group of well dressed and done up boys and girls, Leo with a group of boys and girls who all seemed to have their heads together discussing something. There were a few other faces Bia recognized from the meeting and her walk around camp with Nico, but she couldn't put faces to names.

"Bia," Rachel bumped Bia, bringing her back to reality, "Come on." Rachel had stood and was holding her plate.

Bia mimicked Rachel's actions and followed her to the hearth fire, Bia was disappointed to see that her mother wasn't there. She watched as Rachel and the campers around them closed their eyes and scraped a portion of what was on their plates into the fire. Bia did the same thinking of her mother and the other Gods who touched her life as well as her friends back at the Scholla.

"Don't you guys offer to the Gods at the Scholla?" Rachel asked as they reclaimed their seats at the head table.

"Yes, but not like this…it's a bit more…" Bia made a face, not sure who to pleasantly explain over a meal the offerings completed at the Roman Schola.

"Oh, ok, anyway. I think I get enough of an idea. Besides, I think someone is watching you."

Bia turned to see who Rachel was looking at and ducked her head when her gaze locked with Nico's. "Don't be silly."

"Ha. We've just met."

"Right, so you're not in love with each other and ready commit to each other for the rest of your lives, but you can have…opinions on each other. I'm just saying. It's nice seeing Nico relaxing a bit the way he did yesterday showing you around and smiling and actually _laughing_."

"He is cute, and seems really nice. I wouldn't mind to spend time with him and get to know him."

"See? That's all I'm talking about."

"I'm sorry, Bia," Chiron interrupted from beside Rachel, "I hadn't realized that Rachel had been spending too much time with the children of Lady Aphrodite."

Rachel rolled her eyes at the Centaur standing beside her at the table, "Please. I'm just saying, look! Nico's stayed at Camp for two whole days in a row."

"I see your point, Rachel," Chiron sighed, "but don't jump to any conclusions, and don't scare away Bia or bully her into anything."

"Oh, don't worry, Chiron. You should have seen Jason jumping to conclusions." She tilted her head down and shook her head at the memory.

Rachel laughed, "That was pretty funny. Talk about over protective." The three pleasantly finished the meal discussing various aspects of camp half-blood, explaining things to Bia.

"Ok, Bia," Chiron began once the meal was over, "I think it's past time we let Lupa know where you are."

"This is not going to be fun." Bia said, though she knew Chiron was right. "Ok, where can we find as a rainbow?"

"I don't want to risk the connection, we'll see if the children of Iris would mind letting us borrow their cabin for a few minutes. We'll have to make the IM later this afternoon to make up for the time difference."

After ok-ing the request with Butch, the leader of the Iris Cabin, and his siblings, and Bia's giggles over the fact that a son of the goddess of rainbows was called Butch, Bia found herself before a perpetual rainbow with Chrion standing beside her.

"I think Bia, you should speak to Lupa before she even sees me. It's been awhile since we've spoken, and I'm not sure what her reaction will be to you being here. The last time our two camps interacted they were on opposite sides of a very bloody war."

"That's why we had no idea of eachother? Our parents split us up for our own good?"

"Yes, but now it seems, and I think she's correct, that Queen Hera thinks it's time to bring the two camps back together."

"Well, I agree for what's it's worth. Ok," Bia stepped up to the rainbow and held up an aureus, the roman equivalent of a drachma, that she'd fished out of her bag.

"Dea munus recipere." She muttered in latin, tossing the coin into the glowing colors of the rainbow, then when it shimmered, her coin being accepted she continued, "Lupa of the Roman Schola, Palatine." Again, the rainbow shimmered, before solidifying into an image of an abnormally large she wolf watching a group of teenagers practicing swordfighting.

"Lupa Mater." Bia said in a whisper, un-noticed by the wolf, she cleared her throat, knowing either way she would face Lupa's displeasure for leaving without permission, "Lupa Mater." The she wolf turned quickly to the sound of Bia's voice.

"Bia?" She looked at the girl, "Where are you? Why have you gone? What were you thinking with Jason still missing, we need to be focusing on countering whatever is going on with Gaea,"

"Lupa!" Bia interrupted her, "Please, let me speak."

"You disappear, and then you speak to me in that tone, you may not be a pup any longer, but I will still put you in your place, daughter of Vesta."

"Lupa Mater, I'm sorry. Please, I've much to tell you. I am at Camp Half-Blood.

"With the Greeks? Pup, that is not safe."

"It is, I promise, I've found Jason. Queen Juno sent him here, with no memory, as she sent Percy to us. An exchange of leaders. Juno believes that the only way we can defeat Gaea is to work together, Romans and Greeks, side by side."

"If you're at Camp Half-Blood, do they know who you are? Who Jason is? The last time the two camps interacted, it was a bloody and unpleasant affaire." Lupa glanced over her shoulder at the campers training below her, though she was well away from them.

"Chiron didn't tell me what happened, but he told me that much."

"Chiron? Is he with you?"

"Right here, Lupa," The Centaur walked up to stand at Bia's side, "I thought Bia should try and talk to you before I spoke to you."

"What are you doing with my pups, Chiron?" Lupa growled low in her throat.

"Protecting them and training them as you would. I have not taken then from you, Lupa. They were brought here, as my camper was brought to your camp. What Bia has told you is true, this is all Hera's doing. Perhaps it is about time, either way, the only hope we have of stopping Gaea is working together and even that is a slim thing."

Lupa seemed to pause and consider this, "Fine, that explains what has occurred with Jason and Percy, but what about you, Bia? Did Queen Juno pick you up and drop you at Camp Half-Blood as well?" Lupa asked knowing that was not the case.

"Well, no. I'm sorry Lupa, I had been having dreams before Percy came to us, then they got worse. I spoke to both Queen Juno and mother and both encouraged me to come find Camp Half-Blood, they said I was a necessary part of all of this and that if anyone could help bring the two sides of our family together it had to be me. I'm sorry I left without telling you, I knew you would stop me and I knew the last thing we needed was to worry about another missing fighter."

"That is a well thought out point, but so instead of telling anyone what you were about and walking blind and alone into what could potentially be an enemy encampment, you decided it was better to just disappear?" Bia flinched at Lupa's words, knowing the she wolf was right. "Did anyone know where you were going?"

"Umm," Bia knew that she'd kept enough from Lupa for quite awhile, "Percy and Mica?" She felt bad for the trouble they'd be in for her naming them.

Lupa turned and roared down and the sword fighting campers, "Perseus Jackson! Michelina Sanderson! To me, _right now_." All movement below Lupa stopped before two people toward the far end of the group began to make their way toward Lupa. Bia was pleased that apparently Percy was showing Mica some sword moves as he'd promised. A lot of the older campers had little time and patience for the Nati.

"Yes, Lupa?" Percy asked as he came to stand beside her, Mica out of breath only two steps behind him.

"I've some people you need to speak to."

Percy glanced at the image before Lupa, "Bia? You made it? Thank the gods. Chi-Chiron?" He stumbled over his still a little vaguely remembered teacher.

"Made it safe and sound, only a few problems. You're friends are nice."

"We've missed you, Percy. Annabeth especially."

"How is she doing, is she-?"

"She's fine, she misses you. One of the first things I did yesterday was speak to her."

"May I speak to Bia?" Mica looked between Lupa and Percy and the shimmering image of Bia and Chiron.

"Yes, Pup. For now I'm going to go and let the officers know what's going on. I will IM you tomorrow and I expect you to be prepared to update me and the officers on what's going on and begin discussing a plan."

"Yes, Lupa." Bia replied. Lupa and Chiron said goodbye and left the two teenagers and the child to speak to eachother.

"I miss you, Bia," Mica said, "I didn't tell anyone where you were. I had a dream about you and I only told Percy."

"Good job, honey. Thank you."

"Want to see the sword move Percy is teaching me?" Mica stood back and raised her practice sword pointing it toward Percy who laugher.

"Not right now, Mica, but I want you to keep practicing so you can show me in person next time I see you," there was the bang of a door quickly opening and closing behind Bia, "I think I've someone here who wants to talk to Percy." Bia turned smiling to see a breathless Annabeth.

"Oh, gods, Percy!"

"Hey, Wise Girl." Percy had a sheepish grin as he looked at his girlfriend and realized all over again who lucky he was.

"Percy!" Mica whispered, unsuccessfully, tugging on Percy's arm, "That's the blonde girl from my dream about Bia!"

"Good. Mica, this is my girlfriend Annabeth, she's your sister. Annabeth, Mica, daughter of Minerva."

"Hi." Mica seemed shy all of a sudden.

"Hi, Mica, are you taking good care of Percy for me?"

Mica nodded, enthusiastically, "Yes! He misses you, a lot. He told me and Bia you were the most beautiful, smartest person he's ever known." Annabeth blushed at the compliments. "I'm going to go practice the disarming move Percy's teaching me with Drew. Bye! It was nice meeting you! I miss you, Bia."

"Nice meeting you, too Mica."

"I'll see you soon, Mica, and please don't hurt Drew! I would like all of my Nati in one piece when I get home!"

Mica was already on her way down the hill and waved over her shoulder.

"I'll let you two love birds catch up. I'll talk to you tomorrow, Percy. See you in a few Annabeth." Bia left the cabin of Iris, pleased with the course of the last few minutes.

Bia was lost in her head as she stepped out of the Iris Cabin. It was through this distraction that she was startled by the young man who appeared at her side, his touch light on her arm. Before she'd had a moment to think of what she was doing, Bia had her pugio out of her hair and at Nico's neck.

"Yield?" He said weakly, a small smile on his lips.

"Oh Jupiter! I'm sorry, Nico!" Bia released her grip on Nico's arm like it was burning her and stepped back, slipping Flamma back into its sheath in her hair. She looked down, embarrassed by her reaction.

"It's ok! I should have realized you hadn't seen me. How was talking to Lupa? How is Percy?"

"How did you-?"

"Seriously? The whole camp knows. Secrets aren't easily kept around here, besides, Annabeth was pacing right here until Chiron came out and said she could go in. You left her to talk to Percy?"

"Yea, they're catching up. You should have seen the look on his face when she walked in." Bia shook her head smiling. "Talking to Lupa went better then I'd expected, it was almost more frightening that way. At least her anger would have been like her, normal."

"Well, I'm sure she's realized like we all have that what's going on now is bigger then all of us, bigger then Romans or Greeks, she's probably resigned to whatever has to be done to win and have the most fighters survive."

"Well, that sounds logical and makes sense. Come on, I thought you were going to teach me some Greek sword techniques before we had to meet with everyone."

* * *

A/N Thanks for reading! Reviews and constructive criticism are greatly appreciated!

Miette


	6. Sprint

A/N Thank you all for reading and all of your support! Constructive criticism is appreciated along with the flattering compliments I've gotten so far. I'm positively flabbergasted by positive response I've gotten and all of the people who have favorited this story or put it on their alert list! Thank you! Thanks to Anime Princess, Poseidon93, iscreamdrizzle, ., Aurora di Angelo, Arielle, and xXxrouxXx for your reviews.

Thanks!  
Miette

**Disclaimer** I do not own that which is the intellectual property of Rick Riordan.

* * *

"Do you think she's one of the seven?" Piper asked, pacing in front of Bunker 9 while she and Jason waited for Leo and his siblings to arrive.

"I honestly don't know. She is quite capable of holding her own, she's powerful, a good fighter, but I just don't know. If you'd ask me before she came here to name who I thought from the Schola would make up the rest of the seven, Bia would not have been on the list."

"Well, as of right now, it's looking like you, me, Leo, Annabeth, Percy, that leaves two more from the Schola. Maybe Bia, and?"

"I don't know! Ok, Piper! I just don't know." Jason had his head in his hands. Now that Bia had appeared at Camp Half-blood, his feeling that he needed to be at the Schola had come back in greater force. He felt like he was missing something, though a few more memories and details had been triggered by Bia's presence.

"I'm sorry, Jason, I'm just trying to think out loud."

"I know, Pipes," Jason put his arms around Piper's waist, "I'm not angry with you. I'm angry with myself, with this whole situation, with Juno just meddling in all of our lives. I'm really hoping Bia isn't one of the seven. Not that she's not capable, it's just that she's still so young, and so many bad things have been happening to her, recently. She should just stay here, make friends, get to know Nico if that's what they're going to do, and help bridge things between the Schola and Camp Half-Blood."

"It will work out. Do you want to try and think of who could be the last person? Or, two people," Piper quickly edited her words.

"Sure," he hugged Piper tightly, and then returned to his previous seat on a boulder a the entrance to Bunker 9. "There is a daughter of Pluto at the Schola, Dakota, she's amazing, an almost scary fighter, and her power over the forces of the underworld. Plus, a child of, what do they call them here? The Big Three. That would put her in the category of one of the most powerful of the demi-gods."

"Who else? I'm thinking the seven are probably very different demi-gods who will all complement each other in a way."

"That makes sense, there is Reyna, she's a daughter of Mars—Why is Bia with them? Pluto take whomever…"

"Oh hush, I'm sure there is a reason they've brought Bia."

"Yes, they think she's the sixth demi-god of the prophecy."

Leo, and a couple of his siblings came into the clearing in front of Bunker 9 accompanied by Annabeth, Bia, and Rachel.

"Jason Grace, you keep your complaints to yourself, I know what that look on your face means and no one cares. I'm confident that Bia is one of the seven."

"Is that you or the Oracle speaking?"

"Both." Rachel's tone left no room for farther discussion.

Jason looked between Annabeth and Piper for support and seeing none in the faces, sighed resignedly.

"Bia."

"Jason, I want to be a part of this. Both Mamma and Queen Juno have said I have a large part to play. If I am one of the seven, or even if I'm not, I need to be aware of what's going on. Don't you say anything about me being young, or not a fighter, or a homebody, or whatever sort of comment or excuse you're going to come up with. You were never like this before Mt Tam! You were protective, sure, but nothing like this before the whole thing with Andy and you-need-to-STOP."

Everyone else in the clearing had become interested in innocuous things, such as the ground and their fingernails about halfway through Bia's speech. Though she'd quickly slipped into Latin, everyone could tell from her heated tone, though they couldn't understand her words, that she and Jason were having a serious disagreement.

"You will listen to me. I am your Legatus legionis, and you will respect what I have to say. Bia you have to stop this—"

"Tu claude! That does not matter here! You have no rank here, nor do I! I do not have to listen to you especially when you're being, you're being… go bhfuil tú á dúr!"

"Umm," finally Annabeth decided the two Romans had been yelling at each other enough, "was that last bit _Irish_?"

Jason and Bia both rounded heatedly on Annabeth before processing what had just been going on.

"What?" Bia was breathing hard, as though she'd been running.

Jason looked from Bia to the others, who still pretending to ignore the fight, and laughed. "It _could_ have been Irish. That's how you know you're _really_ in trouble with Bia, when she starts in at you with the Irish."

"Did I really?" Bia laughed. "My mortal family is Irish, as a baby, Aither brought me home to be raised near his parents and sisters and their families, I lived there till I came to the Schola."

"Yes, and she still drops into Gaelic when she's really irritated. Anyway, to why we're all standing around here, now that Bia and I have given you some entertainment." Jason saw that Leo's sister, Nyssa, was trying to hide a smile.

"Sure thing," Leo turned to the entrance and, summoning fire to his palm, opened Bunker 9 with his usual flourish. He enjoyed the shocked look on Bia's face, she being the only one of their party yet to experience Bunker 9.

"Oh my gods…" Bia followed the others into the bunker as though in a daze. "This place is amazing!" Her slow steps carried her through the bunker, in a large circle around the front room. With reverent fingers she grazed the drawings and plans all over the table tops. She raised her eyes to the plans hanging on the walls and the banner hanging down from the ceiling. "Guys, Leo, Nyssa, this is amazing."

"Wait till you see the best part!" With a glance at Leo, Nyssa led Bia into the second room, which Leo had discovered with some help from his father.

"Wow…" Bia's eyes were the size of saucers as for the first time in waking life they viewed the ship she'd seen many times in her dreams. "Leo, it's…" Then she glanced around and it occurred to her that they were still in the ground, in an almost incomprehensibly large room in the ground, but in the ground none the less, "How do we get it out?" She felt like she was asking a silly and obvious question, perhaps like when the Nati were in a particularly rambunctious mood and refusing to settle paying no heed to their lessons.

"I thought you'd never ask," unnoticed in the presence of the Argo II, Leo had slipped farther into the room and was now standing by what looked almost like a circuit box from a house. Leo opened the box, and flipped a switch within, "Open Sesame!" He unnecessarily stated as he turned back to his audience. With a barely audible groan, the roof of the cavern began to open, the vast opening was more than large enough to accommodate the flying Argo II.

"Well, I suppose that will work." A large smile spread Bia's lips as she took in the site before her and the people around her, maybe things were going to work out.

* * *

Bia and Nico together around camp was becoming a familiar spectacle. Sometimes the pair would be accompanied by Jason, Piper, Leo, Annabeth, Grover, Juniper, Tyson, Nyssa, Rachel, or any combination thereof. What was noted by everyone, especially the children of Aphrodite, was that the son of Hades more relaxed and open demeanor. Whether Nico and Bia were practicing archery, or sword, play, or another 'arts of war' as Bia called them or comparing and contrasting Greek and Roman culture, it appeared to everyone that Nico had a weight lifted from his shoulders.

"I'm worried," Rachel sat with Piper in the shade given off by the Aphrodite cabin and the angle of the sun, "when you guys leave, Nico will crash back into old Nico, even worse."

"I don't know, Rachel, they are quite fond of each other, but I don't think it's even that."

"No, Chiron told me that when Nico first came here, he was nothing like the boy we met. He was much more happy and carefree, but right after he and his sister found out they were half-bloods, she joined the Hunters and then died on a quest. Apparently after that he went all dark and stormy. Not that I can blame him. I mean he was what? 10? His sister was the only family he'd ever known, his memory was screwy from all the time they spent at the Lotus Casino, that would mess up any kid."

"Yea, I see what you mean, it doesn't matter if he likes Bia that way or not, if she gets hurt after they've become friends it's really going to hit him. One of my sisters told me that his sister's name was 'Bianca'. Isn't that sort of funny? Bia? Bianca?"

"Yea, that is an odd coincidence. Bia said her full name is Biatryz, spelled some crazy way, her dads way of combining his Irishness and her moms Romanes within her name."

"Ugh, and I thought my dad was playing a cruel game when he named me."

"Yes, well, I like your story about your name with your grandpa."

"I'm glad _you_ do. Come on, it's time to pull Annabeth away from her IM with Percy and into some useful activity."

"Useful activity, says the daughter of Aphrodite, _not_ speaking to ones true love? Don't let your mother hear you speaking thus!"

Bia cursed as she felt her arm twisted up behind her and Nico's blade pressed to her throat, his chest pressed against her back. "Yield."

Nico laughed and lowered his sword, stepping back. He kept his grip on her wrist, though he loosened it, a moment longer.

* * *

"You are quick, Nico." Absentmindedly, Bia ran her finger tips over the spot his blade had grazed.

"I've got to be if I want to avoid Persephone when she's trying to turn me into some sort of a flower or plant."

"She doesn't!"

"Only when I annoy her and she's pissy about something. Usually it has something to do with my dad not paying her enough attention, and then I say or do something that irritates her." Nico shrugged, "Last winter she turned me into a poinsettia and mailed me to Percy." Nico shook his head, "The look on Mr. and Mrs Blofis faces when I turned back into me suddenly after a few days."

"Mr and Mrs Blofis?"

"Percy's mom and step-dad, they're really cool. Mr Blofis just sort of rolled with it when they told him about the whole demi-god thing. They actually helped during the Battle of Manhattan. Mr. B is pretty impressive with a sword and Mrs B is probably the nicest mortal you could ever meet. She can see through the mist, too, which is sort of cool."

"That sounds useful for the mother of a demi-god. Though, in a way, the mist sort of is what protects them. I don't know if I would want to see through it if I were a mortal."

"I think it's kind of a moot issue, Bia," this response earned Nico a strike to the side with the flat of Bia's sword.

* * *

After that, it seemed as though Camp Half-Blood and it's residents were running a sprint to the as yet unspecified date when the Argo II and it's passengers would begin their quest

* * *

A/N Thankies for reading! The next chapter should be up soon, it's nearly done, I wrote these two together, but they wouldn't fit as one long chapter, so as unexciting as it was, I decided to post this one... Things begin to get going in the next chapter, look for it soon! :-D

Thanks!  
Miette


	7. Final Countdown

A/N Hello hello! Thank yous to Poseidon93, Anime Princess, ., and Shoshona79 for your reviews! Anime Princess, hush! You'll see what's going on things are about to progress! I'm soo beyond pleased by all of the reviews, favs and alerts I have gotten! OMG! I welcome any constructive criticism and opinions. I have a few things of my own that I know I need to go back and address after having gone back and re-read...but the fact of the matter is I started this and continue it for sheer entertainment and pleasure...it is not literature nor is it intended to be... :-D Though it seems to have achieved it's goal for you guys as well as myself better then I'd anticipated. With that, thank you for reading, please enjoy this chapter, I'm sorry it took me a bit to get it up...it just wasn't feeling like it was closing...

Thank you!  
Miette

**Disclaimer** I do not have any right to Rick Riordan's characters or world.

* * *

Bia woke suddenly as her body thudded violently against the hard earth floor hidden so elegantly by Rachel's plush rug. She bit back a cry, not wanting the wake the other girl who was so generously sharing her living space, though Bia suspected that Rachel enjoyed the post curfew company. The nightmare that had caused her to toss and turn so violently was dark and striking, though that was almost all Bia could recall from it, something unusual for the dream of a demi-god. What did remain with Bia was a feeling of absolute terror and wretchedness. She felt as though there were no happiness to be had in the world, as though all the light and pleasure were gone. She was also terrified. Whatever had occurred in her dream had frightened and upset her to her core.

* * *

No one vocalized their thoughts that Bia was strangely quite through the morning. Everyone attributed it to everything finally coming together. It had been about two and a half weeks of working and planning since Bia arrived at Camp Half Blood, two weeks since she'd had her first glimpse of their vessel.. Yesteday, she'd spoken to Lupa again, and today the whole group of leaders at Camp Half-Blood would be meeting via Iris Message with Lupa and the leaders of the Scholla. Final touches were being put on the Argo II, soon it would be time to leave Camp Half-Blood, hopefully if the Romans agreed, head to the Scholla, and then shortly after head to the original Olympus.

Jason was still not happy at the thought that Bia was one of the seven, but he knew that he was in the minority and it did no good to fight with the others. Perhaps when they got to the Scholla it would somehow be revealed that it was two others from the Scholla, not Bia and one other. Maybe Bobby, or Gwen, Dakota would be an asset or any two of a number of other worthy legionaires.

Annabeth was anxious; she sat, rapidly tapping her fingers on the ping pong table. She would get to see Percy soon. Speaking to him the last few days had been great, but she knew that he wasn't his old self completely yet. He was still hers, though, at least she knew that, and she would get to be in his arms soon. She shook her head at the girly girl he made her, she wasn't upset about the change, though. It was just another side of her that he'd brough out, as long as she didn't allow it to cloud her mind.

Nico stood against the wall waiting for this meeting to begin. He'd grown fond of Bia over the short time she'd been here. He wasn't thrilled at the idea that kept crossing his mind that she could leave on this quest and he'd never see her again, just as with his sister. He knew she needed to go, and that she was better prepared than his sister who had only just arrived at Camp Half-Blood, only just found out she was a demi-god, but he still wasn't ecstatic. He never should have become friends with her, and then he wouldn't feel this way. He glanced up at the girl who was sitting speaking with Leo about something. Her hair was down from its characteristic bun and instead hung loose long past her shoulders. He wondered where her Pugio was as he thought how odd it was to see her hair down.

Bia and Leo were going over inventory and storage lists for the Argo II. No one was sure how long this journey would take and it would be rather un heroic to fail due to a lack of food, linens, or clean clothes. It calmed Bia's nerves to be discussing such mundane things as having enough pillows and sheets. The organization and planning gave her a false feeling of being in control of _something_ in this crazy situation.

* * *

"Sorry guys, I can't right now," Percy looked down at the disappointed faces of Mica and her friend Drew, a blonde hair, blue eyed son of Apollo. Drew and his twin sister, Kimberly, though the Nati called her Kiki, were Mica's best friends. It was common to see the three with their heads together whispering about something or another, and generally in preceded trouble of some degree.. "I have to go meet with Lupa and everyone, but if our meeting is quick enough, before dinner I'll," Percy sighed knowing just what he was going to have to agree to, and cringed, "I'll come practice archery with you guys, I'll see if Kota will come, too." The three children loved getting Percy to do archery since he was so abysmal at it. Drew and Kiki especially, thanks to their father, were naturals.

"Deal!" Drew replied while Mica clapped her hands together.

"Ok, now, I've got to go, and you guys better not laugh at me too much when we're practicing." Percy turned and hurried into the large Command Tent where he, Lupa, and the leaders of the Scholla would be messaging with Camp Half-Blood.

As soon as Percy was safely within the tent, Mica grabbed Drew's wrist, "Come on!"

"Where are we going, Mica?"

"This way, hush! Have Ki meet us behind the big tent."

"Oh!" Drew's blue eyes opened wide, at Mica's glare he quickly shut his mouth and silently called to his sister, they weren't sure how, but he and Kiki had always been able to sense strong emotions and problems from each other, they also almost always knew where the other was.

Mica and Drew walked toward the woods behind the tent where the leaders were holding their meeting for all of the world as though they belonged there.

"Are we having a snoop?" Kiki appeared beside her brother and friend just as Drew and Mica were getting settled to listen.

"Shush! Seriously, guys! Is your father the god of the sun and archers or people who can't be quiet?"

"Well, he's also the god of music…"

"And poetry…"

"And performing…"

"And…"

"Ok, I get the idea!" the twins smiled at Mica's exasperation, then settled on either side of her so they could hear what was being discussed within the tent. How did the older people expect them to know what was going on and what to do if they didn't listen? Bia and Dakota were the only ones that realized the Nati were resourceful.

"The Argo II will be ready for her maiden voyage by the end of the week; we're just putting the final touches on her." Leo was saying to his campmates seated around him at the pingpong table as well as their counterparts at the Scholla.

"Then how long do you think it will take you guys to get here?" Dakota asked, leaning toward the rainbow image.

"It depends, we're planning to fly since we'll have Jason, for the sky and, unless there is something we're missing, no one Zeus is particularly irritated at for this part of the journey." Annabeth began.

"So the straight answer, Wise Girl?"

Annabeth rolled her eyes at Percy's interruption, "A day. Hopefully we won't run into any problems, though who knows what's going on with the winds. Also, I'm pretty sure, once you do join us, Zeus won't bother trying to blast you out of the sky."

"Oh joy."

This time Annabeth simply ignored Percy, "Also, you'll be able to make sea travel efficient."

"Actually," Reyna spoke up, "that reminds me, does it make sense for you to come here? Wouldn't it be more efficient for us to meet you guys at Camp Half-Blood? Isn't that more on the way toward the Ancient World?"

"Technically, yes. We're about 2000 miles closer, however, We will travel more quickly and safely in the Argo II then you will over land. Also, we don't yet know who among you is the last of the seven-" here Jason coughed, receiving a glare from everyone, "or the last two, _Jason_." Everyone on both sides of the message shook their heads. This discussion had already been had multiple times in and out of meetings such as this.

"How do you know we can trust you guys and your little boat?" Bobby asked glaring at the Greeks through the rainbow.

"Both Bia and I vouch for these guys,"

"And how do we know you haven't been compromised?"

"Bobby, don' be dense!" Bia replied, "We all need to work together! We all want to work together, it for all of our benefits. We _need_ each other."

"Yea," Leo pipped up, "and the Argo II isn't a 'little boat' she's a kick ass war machine!"

"Heck yes!" all around the ping-pong table there were cheers.

"Besides, if you didn't trust them, you prolly should have spoken up with that concern a little earlier in these proceedings." Dakota exasperatedly smacked Bobby's arm.

"Ok," when everyone had settled down, Percy spoke, "today is Tuesday, figure you guys fly by Friday, we sail from here by Monday or Tuesday?"

"That sounds about right," Gwen put in, "is it do able on your end?"

"Completely," Jason said, the excitement building in his gut.

"Then I think that's everything for right now?" Reyna looked back and forth between those seated around her in the tent and those in the Iris Message to see if anyone had anything to say, but everyone seemed to be nodding agreement.

"Just one thing," Bia raised her hand slightly to get Reyna's attention, "Gwen, hun, you may want to tell periculum triplex that just because a wall is thin enough that they can listen though, doesn't mean they should…"

"No…?" Gwen shook her head laughing.

"Yes," Bia pointed toward the back wall of the tent.

With a glance at Bia and a glance at the wall, Dakota got up and walked over to the wall, grasping the bottom hem, she lifted it, revealing the three children laying on their stomachs, small guilty smiles on their faces.

"Really, guys?"

"We were looking for my practice sword." Mica picked up the wooden blade beside her and jumped to her feet, "Here it is! Time to go guys." The three children hurried away in different directions.

Reyna had her face in her hands, "they'll either be the best of us when their time comes…"

"Or the death of us all," Jason finished the statement that the officers had often repeated about Mica, Drew, and Kiki who they affectionately referred to as periculum triplex or 'the danger of a threefold'.

* * *

As the meeting broke up, Bia realized that Nico had already slipped out. He'd spent the whole meeting leaning against the wall and glowering around the table. She wasn't sure what would explain why his mood had gotten worse over the last two days, but she suspected it had something to do with the plans they'd just finalized for Friday. She looked around for him as she blinked her eyes to re-accustom them to the bright sunlight. She didn't see him anywhere on the span of lawn between the Big House and the cabins, but she had a few hunches about where he was. A cursory glance at the arena on her way past confirmed that he was not there. The next place her feet carried her was his cabin, where she found him, gathering a few personal possessions into a black bag.

"Going somewhere?"

"Yes," Nico's terse reply suggested he didn't want to discuss anything, but that didn't deter Bia.

"Where?"

"I don't know."

"You don't know? How about Texas?"

"Texas?" He looked are her incredulous.

"Never mind," she shook her head, "It's a song. 'He said: Girl you've got it good here, you don't need to mess with, a guy going nowhere. She said: How about Texas'" She looked down after softly singing those few lines. She shook her head again, "Never mind." She watched him pack a few more moments before, "So if you don't know where you're going, why are you going?"

"Because I feel like it."

"That seems as good a reason as any, but I don't believe that's all there is to it."

Nico turned and closed the short distance between them. Startled by the emotion and power emanating from her friend Bia stepped back, startled, and found herself against a wall.

"Ni-?"

"Gods Bia, I'm sorry." As quickly as his temper momentarily got away from him, Nico pulled it into grasp again. With a thud, he sat on his bunk, his head down, his hair clenched tightly in his fists.

"Nico?" She tried again, stepping hesitantly toward him.

"I don't usually stick around camp for very long periods of time," he began.

"I know, Annabeth told me. She…um…She and Piper thought maybe you were sticking around because we were getting along…?"

"I can't watch you leave on this-this quest."

"Well you can't run away, either."

"I'm not running away."

"You are, Nico di Angelo." She replied with quiet certainty. "I am not the only friend you have leaving on this quest, neither the only one affected by it. You are affected by it, as everyone in our world is."

"I'm not staying here and doing nothing while you all run off to fight and possibly be hurt or even killed."

"So you, instead you're going to run off to sit in your father's palace or go hide off somewhere and sulk? Instead of staying here where you could be useful?"

"I'm not going to hide and sulk!" This time Bia didn't step back when Nico shouted at her.

"Then what are you going to do?"

"I-"

"Exactly. Please consider waiting to leave till Friday, at least. I would like to be able to spend a bit more time with you before I have to go, and I would like to be able to say goodbye to you when I do go." With that, Bia turned on her heel and quit the cabin.

* * *

"I…don't…get…it…" Bia said breathlessly as she and Annabeth spared, knife to knife, about half an hour after Bia left Nico's cabin.

"It's the testosterone in his body, it clouds his ability to think and function. You'll never understand." Piper replied from the bench where she and Rachel sat watching their friends.

"It's…true…" Annabeth agreed as she tried to press Bia.

"But…you…guys…are …talk about…_Boyfriends_…with a capital…not boy friends, with…a space…Yield." She dropped her knife and stepped back from Annabeth.

"Yea? You're point?" Rachel handed each Bia and Annabeth a towel to dry their faces and necks.

Bia rolled her eyes, "Has your mother been passing around Kool-aid?" Bia asked Piper whose only response was to hold up her hands smiling.

"Seriously, though," Annabeth sat down taking a swig of water, "Nico's sister, Bianca di Angelo died on a quest literally right after they found out they were half-bloods and came here. They hadn't even been claimed yet, it's a whole long story, but Nico became a different person after Bianca died. He's turned back a bit to his old self the last few weeks hanging out with you."

"Maybe he's afraid with you gone; he'll turn back into the emo him."

"He's afraid, too, that you're going to get hurt, or…"

"Well, that's just the silliest thing I've heard in my life."

"Maybe, but-oh, speak of the devil, hey Nico."

"Hey, girls. Jason told me you guys were down here practicing, so I figured I come by and…and umm practice...with…you."

"Come on, Nico, I'll spar with you while these two catch their breath." Piper stood, pulling Katoptris from a sheath on her thigh.

Nico glanced over at Bia, who was leaning back on the bench, her head tilted back and her eyes closed, "Ok." His stygian iron sword in his hand, he walked to the center of the arena to meet Piper.

Through slited eyes, Bia watched as Nico used the greater length of his blade to his advantage. She appreciated the way his muscles moved under his tee-shirt and dark jeans. He was a good swordsman, and though Piper had been training with Annabeth and getting very good with her knife, she put up a fight but had no shot against the more experienced Nico.

"He's gotten good," Annabeth commented absently watching the two. Piper dropped her knife and raised her hands in submission, Nico's sword at her throat.

"Son of Hades for the win!" Rachel said as said son and Piper walked back over to the bench.

"Anyone else up for a go? Bia?"

"Sure," Bia shrugged as she stood, dropping her towel onto the bench, "Spatha or Puggio?"

"I haven't seen you fight with your Spatha, yet," Annabeth put in.

"Then I guess that's what I'll do." She picked up the weapon in question then took her stance in front of Nico. The pair was relatively evenly matched and the contrast between Bia's Roman style and Nico's Greek was interesting. Bia was very aggressive, trying to keep Nico on the defensive as much as possible. Nico, however, was not caught off guard as he was the first time they fought, though. Over the last few weeks that Bia had been here, he'd become mildly familiar with her style. As she pressed him, Nico spun away, forcing her to follow on his terms. Quickly, he came back at her, weaving his blade under her guard. With a quick move, Nico twisted Bia's sword from her grasp, causing it to clatter to the ground.

"Lutum! I'm just getting my butt handed to me today!"

"Right," Nico replied, slightly out of breath like Bia, "that was me kicking your butt. I'll take the win, but I wouldn't call that a butt kicking. And, 'Lutum'?"

Bia scrunched up her nose "Crap? I guess? Either way, I'm out, you were the last nail in my coffin of exhaustion and I've got to take care of some stuff before dinner. I shall see you guys in a bit."

"Here, I'll walk with you." Nico sheathed his sword and stepped beside Bia, waving goodbye to the other three.

* * *

"You're aware that I do not require an escort to Rachel's."

"You're the one who wanted to spend loads of time with me before you leave on Friday. In fact, I specifically remember that being one of the reasons I wasn't allowed to leave earlier today."

"I'm pretty sure I never said 'loads' of time. A minimal amount of time could have sufficed, also you're allowed to leave, I just asked that you consider not. Besides, I leave Friday, today is Tuesday, that gives us the rest of today, plus two full days to chill. So, back to I don't require an escort."

"Well, at this point, we're already nearly there," they'd reached the edge of the forest and Nico was not to be deterred.

Bia smiled, realizing she was not getting rid of him that easily, and that was all right by her. "Fine, then, if you insist, I suppose you may walk with me."

"Oh, why thank you, so much, I'm honored."

"Well then! If you're going to be like that..."

"Oh come on." Nico grabbed her hand as she began to walk away quickly, tugging her back toward him.

Bia stumbled at Nico's tug, and caught herself against his chest. "Umm," she bit her lip looking up into Nico's dark gaze.

"Hey guys! Guys!" Grover came crashing through the trees at that inopportune moment.

Nico dropped Bia's wrist as though it had burned him.

"What's wrong, Grover?" Bia asked as she put some distance between her and Nico.

"We've," Grover gasped for breath, "finally gotten in contact with the Hunters."

* * *

A/N Thank you for reading. I hope you enjoyed! Again, constructive criticism is welcome, also, if you feel so moved any reviews are greatly appreciated and very flattering! Lastly, for anyone curious, the song Bia referenced is Let Me Go as performed by singer/guitarist/actor Christian Kane, whom I adore! It is a great song, real sweet, real cute.

Miette


	8. The Journey Begins

A/N A super quick update! Thank you my wonderful readers. I'm soo glad that there are so many people out there who are enjoying my story as much as I am! Thank you Shoshona, Mangofishy, and Anime Princesses for your reviews of Chapter 7. I will be addressing the empathy link soon. I have a theory on why in TLH Grover couldn't use that. I can not tell you guys how pleased and flattered I am that not only are so many people reading my story, but with each chapter I have more people adding my story or myself to their alert lists of favorites list, also that not only are so many of you reading my story and coming back for more, but you feel so moved as to review and let me kno how you feel and what you think! Without farther ado, I will leave you to why you're really on this page, because it's not to read me rambling up here.

Enjoy!  
Miette

**Disclaimer** I do not own anything that you recognize as the creative and intellectual property of Rick Riordan

* * *

Bia looked, confused, at Nico for elaboration.

"The Hunters of Artemis, we've been trying to get a hold of them since Jason, Piper and Leo returned from their quest. Jason's older sister, Thalia, is the Lieutenant and she told Jason that they would be here soon, that was weeks ago. We finally officially decided something was wrong around the time you arrived." Nico explained as he and Bia quickly headed back toward the camp proper.

"When was the last time anyone had contact with them?"

"When Jason, Piper, and Leo talked to Thalia and her girls while they were on their quest."

"You guys haven't even had an IM from them since?"

Nico shook his head chagrined, "They don't come to camp often. It's not unusual for us to not hear from them regularly, but not in a situation like this. Thalia is Annabeth's best friend and good friends with Percy, too. She and the hunters have been helping with the search for him. He's one of the few males Artemis can tolerate which from her toward a guy is a huge accolade, though that took a lot. So, the fact that Thalia hasn't been in contact to check on Annabeth, or check in on the search is odd. Then on top of that since she told Jason they would be headed here and then not show up and not let us know?"

"Yea, I see the problem." They ran up to The Big House where Annabeth and Rachel were sitting on the front porch with Jason and Grover.

"Thalia IM-ed?" Nico asked hopefully.

"No," Rachel shook her head sadly, "Phoebe."

"Phoebe?" Bia asked, sitting down with the others.

"Thalia's second," Annabeth replied, her voice was void of emotion. "Apparently," she continued, "Some of the girls had been going missing, so Thalia took two of the girls and tried to go in search of those who'd disappeared, leaving Phoebe in charge of the rest of the girls. The plan had been for Phoebe and they hunters to keep heading here slowly, looking for any sign of the missing hunters and Percy, and they were supposed to meet up with Thalia and her search party. However, the search party never showed. They tried to get a hold of them, waited two extra days, Phoebe finally decided she needed to contact us. She and what's left of the hunters should be here in a few days. I'm not sure if they'll make it before we leave for the scholla, though."

"Does she have any idea what's been happening to the hunters? Does Lady Artemis have any idea? Surely she could track her own hunters?"

"She can't find them, but she's positive they aren't dead." Jason said, running his hand absently through his hair.

Bia shrugged slightly, "She'll be found. From what I've heard, that girl is a survivor and a half." She'd decided the best course would be to just be positive, though she was very worried for these girls she'd never met and the affect their disappearance would have on Jason and their new friends. Besides, why in the name of Jupiter were these girls disappearing? It couldn't be a coincidence. It had to have something to do with Gaea, and maybe her dream?

* * *

Finally, Friday dawned clear and warm. She rubbed the sleep from her eyes as she and Rachel got up and began to ready themselves for what would be a big day. Bia hadn't slept again last night, being woken through the night by the same dream she'd been having since the night before they finalized the plans to leave for the Scholla. The most frustrating part, even more so then her sleep being interrupted, was that she couldn't remember the dream in anymore detail then the first time she had it. She knew it was important, though.

"Biatryz, Oracle." The two girls turned quickly toward the voice.

"Queen Hera." Rachel bowed her head slightly in acknowledgement of her guest, while Bia dipped a curtsy.

"My lady."

"Is there something we can do for you?" Dislike colored Rachel's voice as she addressed the goddess standing before her.

"Don't you take an attitude with me, Oracle. Just because you are Apollo's little Prophetess doesn't mean that you can disrespect me. Besides, I'm here to speak to your Roman friend."

Bia stepped forward, "Yes, my lady?"

"For this joining of the Scholla and Camp Half-Blood to work, you Daughter of Vesta, must insure that everyone recognizes their shared goal. Working together won't come naturally to the two groups, even for all of the good intentions of everyone now to try."

"Yes, my lady…" Bia wasn't really sure what Queen of the gods was getting at.

"A great deal of your part in this quest will be giving the two sides a mutual goal."

"My lady, we have a mutual goal…One _you_ have helped us to see."

"Yes, Biatryz, but through you there will be a more personal goal. Keep your eyes open and your wits about you. You may not be the best fighter or the best strategist, but you are the binding that helps to keep those around you together."

"Umm…Thank you? My lady," Bia wasn't sure what to make of Hera's statement.

"I am nearly sure that you and your companions will reach the Scholla with little trouble, but all of the same, be ready." With that, the goddess was gone, leaving the two girls looking at each other.

"Well, that was…interesting, any prophetic translation for what in Jupiter's name she was talking about?"

Rachel shook her head, "None, sorry girlie. Atleast she doesn't think you guys will have any trouble on your way to the Scholla. That's something."

"Yes, I suppose so." Absently, Bia pulled a brush through her hair. "I just hope she's right."

"Well, no use worrying now, it won't change anything." Rachel said, as she pulled on clean clothes, "Besides, you get to see your kids soon!"

"That's true," Bia's face broke into a huge smile thinking of the Nati and her friends who she missed desperately. She left her hair plaited down her back, brown boots over dark skinny jeans, her pugio strapped to her leg, her spatha hung at her waist, and her bracelet of plumbata on one wrist and a second bracelet on her other wrist which would expand into her scutum or shield at need completed her outfit for leaving. She didn't think her full armor, or even her chain-mail Catafracta were appropriate for the short trip on the Argo II to the Scholla, though they may have helped to ease the anxious feeling in her stomach.

Rachel cocked her head as she took in Bia's appearance, "You look like 'Legionnaire Barbie'."

"'Legionnaire Barbie'?" Bia gasped out between laughs. She shook her head. "That's a new one. Come on, I want to try to eat something before it's time to head out." The two girls walked arm in arm toward the camp proper.

Breakfast was an edgy affair with many furtive looks being shot at the 5 who would be shortly embarking on the quest that seemed to be in answer to the new great prophecy. The Argo II was already sitting at the dock, having been moved there on Wednesday by the Hephaestus campers. The Argo II and Bunker 9 were secrets at the camp, so, of course, everyone had already long known about them.

Bia managed to choke down a cup of green tea and a few bites of bread and olive oil, but that was all of the breakfast she could bring herself to consume. She wasn't sure why she was so anxious, it wasn't her first quest and any fights or battles likewise would not be her first, but something was unsettling her. She just chalked it up to her recent dreams. She looked around to see how her soon to be traveling companions seemed to be feeling.

Piper had her head together with one of her brothers and one of her sisters. She seemed to be giving them last minute instructions, I guess on running the cabin in her absence. They kept glancing down the table at one of their sisters, a pretty girl who had been pointed out to Bia as Drew, a real unpleasant creature.

Annabeth's brother Malcolm had his arm around her shoulders as she sat with her head in her hands. Bia assumed that perhaps, Annabeth was anxious about how she would find Percy when they arrived at the Scholla. He'd regained much of his memory, and from what Annabeth had said of their recent IM conversations their relationship was more than intact, but he was still not completely the person he was before Hera had taken him.

Leo was animatedly discussing something with Jake and Nyssa at their table, already wearing his tool belt of awesome-ness, as Bia had come to think of it after he'd shown her last week, it seemed that he, like her, was ready to get going immediately.

Bia's gaze moved to the Big Three tables, the only one occupied being Zeus's at which Jason sat playing with his cereal. She knew that he was worried about Thalia and had been hoping that at the least Phoebe and the other hunters would arrive before the Argo II set off.

"Rach, um, have you seen Nico today?"

"What? Isn't he-? Oh." Rachel cut off her own question as she looked up and saw the answer for herself, no, he wasn't sitting at the Hades table. "He's probably still in his cabin or something. I bet he overslept."

"Maybe…" He'd stuck around, Bia really hoped after waiting to leave the last few days as she'd asked he didn't go and leave this morning without a goodbye.

"Don't worry," Rachel squeezed her hand, "I'm sure he'll say goodbye before you leave."

"Sure. I'm going to go check on Jason real quick, he's not looking so good." She stood and put words to action, and slid into place across from Jason. "She'll be fine."

Jason looked up, at first confused by Bia's presence and what she'd said.

"Thalia? She will be fine. Annabeth told me how much she's already survived through. We know she's not dead because Lady Dian, er Artemis, would know. Nico even double checked with his dad just to be sure, and she's not dead. Besides, now she has a baby brother to live for." Bia reached out and squeezed Jason's hand. "Now, come on Legatus legionis. We're about to embark on a quest."

Jason smiled and squeezed her hand back. "Thanks Bi."

"Now, I have a son of Hades to find."

"Be nice to him."

"Me? I'm always nice!"

"Uh-huh, and most people fall for your act."

Bia just smiled as she walked toward the cabins. It was a short hour before they would be leaving and she had to speak to Nico before that. Passing the arena, she realized the campfire was bigger than it should have been at this time of day. Sitting beside the fire was Nico and the 9 yearold girl that was Bia's mother. Bia was debating if she should interrupt when her mother looked up.

"Don't hover so, darling. Come," Hestia patted a spot beside her, "join us."

"I didn't want to interrupt…" Bia said, slowly closing the distance between herself and the pair sitting by the fire, "I was concerned you'd left already." Bia didn't look at Nico as she spoke.

"I told you I'd at least stay till you guys left. I'm still not sure about after that, though."

"Thanks, Nico. For sticking around for now, I mean."

He shrugged.

"How are you, Mamma?"

"I'm well, honey, but you two young things need some privacy to talk before you leave, so I shall leave you to it, but first." Hestia reached into the fire and teased out a tendril of flame. She encased the flame in what appeared to be a small glass sphere, a stone in a silver ring. "Here darling, this may help you on your quest. Keep a bit of the home fire with you."

"Thanks Mamma." Bia slipped the ring onto her right index finger, her ring finger already being occupied by a claddagh ring.

Hestia hugged each of the demi gods before vanishing.

"You're mother isn't big on subtlety, is she?" Nico asked with a small smile.

"What? You think she keeps leaving us alone on purpose for some reason? You don't think she really had business on Olympus the day we met? You don't think she's simply leaving us alone because she's busy and she wants to leave us privet to talk?" Bia laughed.

"Maybe you're right." Nico smiled as Bia slid closer to him.

"She didn't show you any visions, did she?" Bia asked, suddenly a little anxious as to how bad her mother's lack of subtlety may be.

"Visions? No, why?"

"Mamma can show people the past, present and future where it applies to family. I just thought She may have shown you…I don't know…Never mind." Bia smiled up at Nico.

"Do you think she could show me my mother? I remember so little of her."

"I suppose she could, but I don't know how badly that would risk upsetting your father. I've heard he's still very…raw about you're mothers passing."

"Yea, I guess you're right." Nico was still considering the possibilities, though, oblivious to what Bia had been concerned about bringing up this gift of her mothers.

"Come on," Bia stood up, "walk with me."

No one interrupted the pair, though many watched, as they walked a circuit of the camp, around the cabins and various buildings and practice areas. Somehow, Bia had gotten to describing 'her kitchen', as she thought of it, at the Scholla and the last big meal she'd prepared in it before coming to Camp Half-Blood for Reyna's birthday, when she and Nico reached the relative privacy and seclusion of the woods.

Before he could lose his nerve or change his mind, Nico grabbed Bia's wrist and spun her toward him, much like earlier in the week when Grover had interrupted, but this time he intentionally brought her against his chest. Slowly, giving her a chance to move away, Nico lowered his lips to Bia's. Very lightly he pressed his lips to hers, the result a sweet, chaste, peck.

"Umm…" Bia touched the tips of her fingers to her lips when Nico released her.

"I'm sorry, I-" Nico turned away, running his hand through his black hair.

"Why are you sorry?" Bia reached out, laying her hand on his arm. He turned at her touch, giving her the opportunity to rise, nervously, to the tips of her toes and press her lips back to his. After a few minutes they began to make their way to the waterfront from which Bia, Jason, Leo, Piper, and Annabeth would be departing, this time they walked hand in hand. "I will be coming back to you, so please don't make it difficult for me. I would really rather not come back from this quest then have to go on another to find you."

Nico laughed, "I suppose I could stick around here, or at least meet you back here when you guys get home."

Piper cat called as the couple approached the pier, "Finally!" she clapped her hands pleased, taking in the clasped hands and the red tint that stained by Nico and Bia's cheeks at her reaction.

"Oh, hush! Finally? They've known each other less than a month, there is no 'finally'." Annabeth's words aside, she was just as pleased at Piper, to see Nico and Bia holding hands and smiling at each other as they were.

"Says the girl that knew Percy for 5 years, and needed her butt kicked by potential competition before she even admitted that she _might_ like him!" Rachel said laughing. "Now _there_ is a finally!"

"Hush!" Annabeth repeated, this time directed at Rachel.

Bia glanced around at her new friends, embarrassed, before she dared to look over at Jason to see his reaction. She needn't have worried though, if the faint smile on his lips truly represented his feelings.

"So, are we ready to go?" Bia asked, trying to distract everyone from her and Nico.

"Just about!" Leo called from up on the ship, "The Argo II is all set, just have to make sure _we_ are all set."

Bia felt Nico's hand tighten around her's at Leo's words. "I promised, didn't I?"

"Yea, well, I've had pre-quest promises before."

Bia fought the urge to hit Nico. "We'll be right back." She pulled Nico back up the dock, out of range of the prying ears of their friends. "You will stop this right now."

Absently, Nico thought that her tone of voice that allowed no room for argument was probably the tone she used with the Nati.

"You will stop being negative and emo. If you put such negativity out into the world, if you keep thinking that we won't succeed, then we won't. If you insist on thinking that I won't come back, then I won't." She said simply. She could see the warring emotions that crossed Nico's face. The contradicting feelings visible in his eyes settled on angry and defensive.

"I thought my sister would come back and she didn't. She said she'd always be there for me and she went off and joined the hunters then got herself killed on a quest when she promised she'd come back, Percy promised he would keep her safe and bring her back!"

"I'm not your sister. I'm not some green demi-god. Annabeth told me about Bianca," she kept talking over Nico's complaint that Annabeth had no business doing that, "and I'm sorry, I can't imagine how you feel, but I do know that you're acting like this isn't going to accomplish anything. This isn't my first quest, I have experience Bianca lacked. I will be fine." She pulled the claddagh she'd been playing with from her hand. As she removed the ring, it morphed from a ring into a small box, about the size of her palm. It was still shaped in the crowned and clasped heart of the claddagh, with the braided band now the sides of the box. "Hold on to this for me. I'll be back for it."

"What-?"

Bia smiled, as she pressed it into Nico's hand, "It's my treasure box. Go on."

He opened it to find an inside much bigger than the outside suggested. Several packets consisting of a small picture and a curl of hair, much like parents kept of their children or couples kept of their sweetheart in a locket, a seashell, a dried sprig of lavender, a pressed honeysuckle blossom, a small stone, a few photos of what Nico assumed were Bia's friends from the Scholla and her mortal family, and various other keepsake type items laid on a red velvet bed. One item in particular he picked up, recognizing the feather he pulled from Bia's hair last week when they'd been sitting on half blood hill. It had fallen into her hair without her even noticing before he picked it out. He hadn't known she kept it.

She shrugged sheepishly when he held it up to her. "I'm sentimental." The box shrunk and Nico slid it into his pocket. "Now," Bia leaned up, laying a soft kiss on Nico's cheek, "Come on and send me off."

* * *

The Argo II didn't require a crew to man it, which was rather convenient. After warm sendoff from Chiron and some of the campers including Nico and Rachel, though Nico stood off to the side, the Argo II took off, air travel being made easier thanks to Jason and his father.

Bia found Annabeth looking over the port rail of the ship, absently twirling a strand of her blonde hair between her fingers. "What are you thinking of, girlie?"

"What? Oh, the fact that Thalia is scared to death of heights." Annabeth smiled, thinking of her friend.

"Jason's sister? The daughter of Zeus is scared of heights?"

"Yes, like so badly that she'll freeze up."

"That's too funny. Who would have thought?"

"I know. Nothing fazes her, except heights."

"Oh the irony. Come on, lunch is ready, you'll want to come grab some before the boys eat it all." They had left Camp Half Blood 5 hours ago, making it 1 o'clock there now, and 10 at the Scholla. They weren't sure what time they were at now, but the thought was that they'd arrive at the Scholla around 1 California time. However, as Bia turned, she heard something that could put a crimp in that plan. "Oh lutum," she breathed "Annabeth, keep your eyes on the deck."

"What?"

"Basilisk."

"I thought Hera told you we wouldn't have any problems getting to the Scholla."

"I guess she was wrong."

"Dumb, Hera." Annabeth muttered. The same dislike that had colored Rachel's interaction with the Goddess earlier was evident in Annabeth's voice. Bia was really going to have to ask why all of the Greeks seemed to have an issues with the Queen of the Gods.

Without looking up at the flying serpent Bia addressed it, "Is there something we can do for you, Lord Serpent?"

"Oh, little daughter of Vesta, it's rude to not look someone in the eye when you're speaking to them. I can't believe that your mother would stand for such a lack in manners."

"I think the lady Vesta would allow an exception for this case." Jason said as he stepped up beside Bia, his gladius in his hands. Piper and Leo stood on either side of him.

"Don't look the Basilisk in the face, he can kill you by sight."

"Then how do we kill him?"

"There is no need to kill me, heroes, I only bring a message."

"Then spit it out, dragon man." Leo rummaged around in his tool belt as he spoke.

"Tsk, no patience, son of Hephaestus?" Even with their eyes lowered, the Basilisk could see the glares the five demigods wished they could direct at him. "Lady Gaea will rise. You do not know even half of what you're up against."

"Like you? We've already defeated you once. We'd be happy to oblige you with a repeat performance." Bia remembered with some discomfort her first encounter with the monster before them.

"Ah, but I know your tricks now, little Kitten. How is your pretty little sister?" Before she could blink, Bia had a plumbata in her hand expanded to its full size and ready to through at the Basilisk.

"Let- go- of- me." Bia practically growled at the Annabeth and Piper who had grabbed her arms.

"You shouldn't be so obvious about your weak spot, has Lupa taught you nothing?" The basilisk asked as it began to flap lazily away, "This is your chance to avoid a bloody loss. Think about it before you leave the Scholla. Once you depart from there, your fates and those of everyone you know and care about are sealed." With that, the Basilisk was gone.

Roughly, Bia shook of the restraining hands of her friends and stormed to the other side of the deck from whence Jason, Piper and Leo had come.

Piper looked after Bia, unsure if she should follow or not.

"Leave her be a moment, she's real sensitive with the basilisk. It almost feels like, somehow, whoever sent it knows that, knows us, knows her."

"I didn't know she has a sister." Annabeth said, looking over where Bia was now sitting against the ships rail.

"Another daughter of Vesta, Alouette Fournier. Loulou was hurt in a Basilisk attack a few years ago, Bia's always blamed herself."

"Is she…" Piper wasn't really sure how to ask about how Lou was doing.

"She survived, she's alive and well, and happy. A bit worse for wear, but she manages. No one holds anything against Bia but herself. Come on, she'll be even more upset then she already is if her lunch goes to waste, especially if she thinks it's because we're tip toeing around her."

* * *

A/N Thankies for reading...finally, we're getting somewhere, next stop The Scholla! I am beyond flattered by all of the reviews you guys have chosen to leave for me, though I am also a bit jealous of those who have equal or less chapters then I and exponentially more reviews :-/ Some of you requested godly presence, and you have received, I have some more planed for upcoming chapters as well. Constructive criticism, comments, and opinions are as welcome as the reviews that have let me know that there are many people enjoying my story as much as I am.

Thank you again!  
Miette


	9. An UnWelcome

A/n You people are soo impatient! I updated twice this past Tuesday, four days ago! However, I really can't complain it's truly gratifying to know that so many people are enjoying my story to this extent! On that note, special thank yous to Ramzes, Poseidon93, Shoshona79, Micaela Scarlett Hart, Cat, ShadowOfMyLight, AwesomeTori, ., and AthenaKidd for the reviews! Also, I would like to thank Lady of Blatant Sarcasm for adding this story to her community "The Greatest Of Them All". I am unsure if this is an act of sarcasm or not, however I am happy for what is likely an opportunity to reach more people who may find enjoyment in my writing. :-D As Ramzes suggested, I do have a lot of time on my hands to be working on this story, this is a big part of what's keeping me from going stir crazy while I'm stuck in the house while my friends and Boyf are working or another blizzard is dropping tons of snow on my area. My days are spent job searching, and playing Frontierville on Facebook, while I wait for my ppl to get out of work so I can chill with them. Though if anyone knows of anywhere in the Philly area that may be interested in hiring a girl with a Bachelors Degree in Culinary Arts, Hotel/Restaurant Management and Hospitality with a focus on event planning and catering and event experience who recently graduated from CIA , I promise I'll keep writing once I get a job! However, that is not why you folks are reading :-D

I'm sorry, this chapter did take me awhile and give me a great deal of difficulty, I have several rewrites and versions on my computer, but here it is. Sorry about the short of it. I anticipate another update by the end of the weekend.

Please enjoy!  
Miette

**Disclaimer** I am, with all due respect, borrowing characters and a world from Rick Riordan, anything that you do not recognize as his is mine :-D

* * *

"Well, here we go." Leo messed with something in his wheelhouse, and the ship began a slow controlled descent. Within a few minutes, the Argo II was docked at the Schola where Jason and Bia had done most of their growing up.

"Home sweet home." Bia tossed her bag over her shoulder, looking up at the short cliff that separated them from the Schola. If you didn't know where the path up was, it looked rather intimidating. For all of its short height by cliff standards, it was nearly straight vertical. "I almost swear I can smell the nearby vineyards." Bia took a deep breath.

Jason smiled at Bia, who stood, with her eyes closed and her face turned up to the sun, "And just look at the mountains in the distance. I didn't realize how much I've missed it."

"Yea, because Camp Half-Blood is so much better." Bia laughed thinking of the Schola itself. The picturesque location aside, the Schola really didn't have much to recommend it, though it was her home and she'd always have a place in her heart for it.

"Camp is better?" Piper asked as they all disembarked from their ship.

"It's much…" Jason looked at Bia for a diplomatic word.

"It's homier." Bia said with a shrug. "It's far more welcoming and…happy. I don't know. I guess you guys will see. Come on."

"Are we supposed to fly up there?" Leo asked looking up at the cliff face.

"No, this way," Jason led the way to the, nearly invisible to the uninformed eye, path.

"You guys had best let Jason lead a bit when we approach the main camp area, though they may be watching for us. Even though they know we're all coming they'll be…anxious about it. Especially you guys." Bia said as they made it to the top of the cliff. A short distance away, the three Greeks took in their first view of the Schola. A collection of tents seemed to make up most of it, though Annabeth thought she recognized a few training areas similar to what they had at camp. "They're not used to outsiders here and don't take well to them." Piper and Annabeth looked at each other, noticing Bia's use of the word 'they', the two girls however didn't point it out. "I'm hoping with all of the communication in the last two weeks they'll be more relaxed and welcoming than usual, but I'm not sure—

"You're back!" At that moment, Bia was interrupted by three bundles of high energy that propelled themselves at her, seemingly from nowhere.

"Yes," Bia laughed, kneeling down to receive hugs from a boy and girl with bright golden blonde hair and a girl with sun bleached brown hair. "Salve carissime. I've missed you three desperately, but why are you not at your lessons?" Bia turned a stern eye on the three children before her.

"Get back." A voice barked at the three children who clung to Bia, ignoring the order.

Bia looked up to see a semi-circle of people she recognized standing between her party and the tents that made up the main part of the Schola.

"Degredior." Jason ordered the boy who'd spoken.

Bia straightened, shifting the three children behind her when the boy made no move. "Bobby, your Legatus legionis just told you to step down, do it." Her voice hardened and a fire blazed in her eyes at the last two words.

Bobby ignored the orders, keeping his gladius raised, almost as though he expected an attack. On either side of him stood a girl, one holding a gladius, similar to Bobby's, the other holding a Pilum, or a javelin. Neither girl looked thrilled with their positions.

Bobby said something in Latin, speaking so quickly even Annabeth couldn't translate his words, though it was evident from the tones of Jason and Bia's responses that the three were having an argument of some kind.

To the side of the unwelcoming committee stood two more girls and a very anxious looking Percy.

"Hey Wise Girl," He stepped toward Annabeth, unsure of what he should do, though what he wanted was to hold her tight and never let her go.

Annabeth looked at Percy, something about him looked different, harder, he had muscles he hadn't had before. She felt nervous in a way she hadn't while he was gone or talking to him via Iris Message. She hadn't felt anxious about the prospect of seeing him, but now? Her heart beat rapidly and she didn't notice anything but him.

Looking at the beautiful blonde girl only a few feet from him, Percy wasn't sure how he could have possibly forgotten her even a little bit. Not that Hera had succeeded in wiping Annabeth completely from his mind, there was a reason she was the first person he remembered, even before his mother or father. He ran his hand absently through his messy black hair, trying to figure out what he should do when her face broke into the bright smile he loved so much.

Annabeth could almost read the emotions crossing Percy's face; he always had been an open book especially to her. She watched as Percy ran his hand through his hair, apprehension writ clearly on his face. The familiar gesture pulled her from her trance, more muscular or not, he was still her Seaweed Brain, still her best friend, still the person she loved most in the world.

Percy had the wind knocked out of him as Annabeth closed the distance between them and threw her arms around his neck. He lifted her off of her feet with his arm tight around her waist.

"Don't you ever, EVER leave me like this again, Seaweed Brain." She whispered into his neck, "Ever!" she raised one of her hands and lightly smacked the back of his head to emphasis her point.

"I wouldn't have left you this time if I'd had a choice."

Annabeth stepped back, resting her hands on Percy's shoulders. "You would have left." She said with certainty, "Not the way you did, but if _she_," there was no need to elaborate on who 'she' was especially with the dislike Annabeth put into the short pronoun, "if she had come to you and told you what was happening and going to happen and what you could do, you would have gone. It's part of what makes you a hero." Annabeth wrapped her arms back around Percy's neck and kissed him, "Just, if you have a choice, give me a warning."

"I will," Percy promised swinging Annabeth in a circle.

An assortment of cheers and 'awws' guided Percy and Annabeth back to their surroundings. While the couple had been reuniting the two girls standing with Bobby had abandoned him to Bia and Jason and were now standing with the other two girls Percy had been.

"Come on, sit with us," A blonde with a bow and quiver on her back said, dropping to the ground, "they're going to be awhile." Here she gestured to Bobby, Bia, and Jason, still arguing.

"Yea, Bobby's gotten quite…paranoid," The second girl said as though choosing a delicate word, "since Jason's disappearance."

"Not that he wasn't paranoid enough to start with." The girl with the pilum muttered as she led the three children from Bia to the group under the tree.

"He's mostly hot air." The girl with the gladius said, "He is a good guy, though." She settled under the tree across from Piper and Leo.

The three children flopped to the ground between the blonde and black haired girls. "Bia would want us to be hospit-hops-hospital-"

"Hospitable." Mica supplied the word Kiki was searching for.

"Right." Kiki turned to the older girls, "Bia would want us to be that."

"I know, honey, we are." The archer girl pulled Kiki to her side in a hug.

"We don't get a lot of strangers here. I know you guys don't really count with all of the talking and planning we've all done, but well, Bobby still isn't comfortable with all of this." The other girl who had been standing with Bobby said, idly toying with a blade of grass.

"We're all a little anxious. Bobby's been in charge since Jason disappeared, he's been very concerned with living up to Jason. I think now he's got it in his head that this is some sort of ploy. It's not, is it?" Asked the black haired girl.

"No, of course not," Annabeth replied, leaning against Percy, "though…" her mind now racing with the possibilities of such a plan in a battle.

"I give up." Bia fell into an empty stop beneath the tree, "let the two of them duke it out." She waved her hand behind her at the two boys who were still speaking rapidly in Latin "I suppose proper introductions are in order now that everyone is meeting in person." Bia glanced around the group as though deciding the best way to order the introductions. "Ok," she looked at the Romans, "ladies, may I introduce Annabeth Chase, daughter of Athena, Piper McLean, daughter of Aphrodite."

"Yay! Sister!" One of the Roman girls interrupted Bia and was soundly ignored, save for the severe glare Bia threw her way.

" and Leo Valdez," Bia continued as though she'd not been interrupted, "son of Hephaestus and the designer and engineer of that amazing ship currently docked down there. Of Camp Half-Blood." She indicated each of the Greek Demigods as she named them and then gestured toward the beach and the Argo II as she mentioned Leo's accomplishment. Bia now turned to her Greek companions, "And from the Schola, "Reyna Emerson, daughter of Mars," who turned out to be the girl with the gladius, next was the girl with the pilum "Dakota Fayet, daughter of Pluto." Seeing Dakota again, Bia noticed some similarities in her appearance and Nico's that she hadn't before. Lastly, Bia indicated the two girls with whom Percy had been standing, "Gwendolyn Carter, daughter of Apollo," was the blonde with the bow and quiver "and Hazel McGowen, daughter of Aphrodite," was the girl who had interrupted Bia at Piper's introduction.

"And these are the three we've heard so much about?" Annabeth gestured to the three children sitting around Bia.

"Yes," Bia smiled fondly at the children who had moved to sit around her when she sat, "are you being shy or will you say hello?"

The blonde boy lying with his head pillowed on Bia's right knee sat up, "I'm Drew, son of Apollo." He said proudly, "and that's my twin sister, Kiki." He pointed to his sister lying on Bia's left knee, who was biting her lip nervously.

"I'm Mica," the girl sat up straight from her spot leaning against Bia, "My mother is Minerva." Her clear gray eyes were nearly identical to those that Annabeth shared with Athena.

"Now," Bia looked back at the children, "I never got a straight answer as to why you three aren't at your lessons."

"I let them off," Gwenn said, "they were never going to settle, the little eavesdroppers knew you were coming in today. Poor Lou had her hands full enough today with the rest of the Nati and making sure everything was ready, without dealing with these terrors. However," she looked at her siblings and Mica, "we have a bargain. Besides, Louette said she'd need you guys once Bia arrived."

In unison, the three children stood up and argued, trying to convince Gwen and Bia to let them stay.

"If you guys made a deal with Gwen, I'm not changing it. Go, give Lou a hug from me and tell her we'll be by soon." The three kids didn't move as though hoping to get a reprieve. Bia simply pointed to the tents and the Nati scurried away.

"They're adorable," Piper said, watching as the three children ran to the tents and disappeared inside one.

"You want one of your own, Beauty Queen?"

"No thank you," Piper shuddered, "my brothers and sisters back at camp are all the kids I can deal with for right now."

"At least you've got them all standing up to Drew." Jason walked over with Bobby and sat beside Piper. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her tight against him, laying a kiss on her cheek.

"Oh my." Hazle looked from Jason to Piper, the look of shock on her face mirrored on those of her friends.

"Fearless Leader's finally let down that wall a bit?" Dakota asked Bia who simply shrugged smiling.

"Oh, leave off of him!" Reyna smiled, a small shadow darkening her eyes, though her smile belied it. "I want to hear about _Bia_'s new friend!" Reyna turned to Bia laughing at the red stain on Bia's cheeks.

"New friend? I've no idea what you're talking about…I've new friends here." She gestured to the three Greeks who had come with her and Jason, to Pipers immense amusement.

"We don't have time for this frivolous girl talk." Bobby interrupted everyone else laughter gruffly.

"Who spit in your Musla this morning?" Bia asked irritated.

"Yea, shove off. You've been foul all week." Dakota added with a glare that could have stopped a heartbeat.

"And you've all gone soft in the head. Am I the only one who sees the danger of this? The trick this could be."

"Allow me to introduce my brother, Bobby, son of Mars." Reyna said annoyance clear in her voice.

"The danger is Gaea, not the Greeks. There is danger in this, in our quest, but that's nothing new. There is a danger in us being hurt in battle or worse, failing. The danger does not lie in this plan or working together." Jason said, irritated, it seemed this was a repeat of part of the argument Jason and Bobby had just ended.

"The danger is in us not succeeding _together_." Annabeth added from her spot beside Percy.

"Annebeth's right. The main danger is if we aren't able to put aside our differences." Bia said.

"Bobby, you're the only one against this, and you chose to speak up three days ago. It was a little late." Gwen said, shifting anxiously in her seat.

"It's too late to turn back now, besides, you trust Jason, Bia, and Percy, why not trust their friends." Hazle said, her tone suggesting she had this discussion with Bobby before.

"We all want the same thing," Piper said, allowing her voice to become infused with a small bit of her power, "we want to stop Gaea, save Olympus and save the world."

Bobby glared around at the group, but he dropped the subject, Pipers small amount of Charmspeaking had worked.

"Come on," Gwen rose with a dancers grace to her feet, "much to see and do and get ready. We've sat and chitchatted enough."

* * *

A/n Thank you for reading. As usual, constructive criticism will be taken under advisement, after a short personal temper tantrum. Please review if you feel so inclined, anything you have to say is appreciated, to a great extent your reviews act as my muses!

Miette


	10. Questions

A/N I missed my self imposed deadline :-( Special thankies to AthenaKidd, Micaela Scarlett Hart, shoshona79, AwesomeTori, Ramzes,iscreamdrizzle,and . for your reviews. I agree, iscreamdrizle, that it would be funny if Bobby is majorly kumbaya in Son of Neptune. He is actually one of my favorite of my version of the Romans. You shall see. :-D I've had to go back and do a Mary Sue test on Bia...soo :-/ Terribly embarrassing.

Without farther delay, please go on to the chapter.

Thank you for your support! Enjoy!  
Miette

**Disclaimer** This is a story written in honor of Rick Riordan's popular and successful books and borrowing heavily from them.

* * *

As the group made their way toward the cluster of tents that seemed to make up the main part of the Schola, Gwen, Bia and Kota, as the Romans called Dakota, pointed out various things.

"I'm going to go see of Lupa's back from the Wolf House." Bobby grumbled as soon as the group reached the edge of the tents, turning toward the woods.

Bia glanced at the sun, estimating the time, "Lupa shouldn't be back for at least another few hours, right?"

Reyna sighed, "We all know that, he knows that."

"I think he just wants the excuse to get a way, Bi." Jason shrugged, "Let him have some time."

"Oh," Bia glanced sadly at the break in the trees Bobby had disappeared through.

"There are the archery butts," Gwen waved to a couple of the demi-gods practicing their archery as they walked by, trying to distract everyone from Bobby.

"You're favorite place, huh?" Annabeth looked up at Percy, walking beside her his arm tight around her waist.

"Ha, ha, ha." His obviously fake laugh made Annabeth smile, "The Gems out shoot me every time they guilt me into it. They're seven and they're better than me."

"Gems?" Piper asked

"The twins, we call Drew and Kiki the Gemini after the twins in the old myths."

"You guys call them the Dioscuri, I think." Gwen added, "You shouldn't feel bad about them being better then you, Perc, they are children of Apollo."

"Yes, but I think _every_o_ne_ is better at archery then Percy. I think Juniper could beat you."

Percy looked at Annabeth confused, not recognizing the name, "Juniper?"

"Grover's girlfriend? The Nymph? You remember Grover, right?"

"Yes, I remember Grover. Though that took a little bit, I didn't remember he had a girl friend." Percy's face scrunched up as he tried to remember Juniper.

"Don't hurt yourself, Percy." Hazel laughed at the pained look on his face.

"I think…They started dating before we went into the Labyrinth, right?"

"Right."

"And her bush is near Zeus's fist! I remember Juniper. Oh crap…I set her bush on fire during the Battle of the Labyrinth…"

"She forgave you," Annabeth laughed. "It wasn't your fault."

"Gods, I can't imagine what's worse." Gwen said watching the couple, "Having no memory, or missing bits and pieces of your memory."

"It's tough." Both Percy and Jason said at the same time.

"I'd say 75% of my memory is back, give or take." Percy said, "How about you?"

"Same," Jason said. "I'm still missing details, but remembering what's still missing comes a lot more easily and quickly now."

Percy nodded in agreement.

As the group walked through the Schola, nearly everyone stopped what they were doing and followed them with their eyes. The feeling was distinctly uncomfortable and border line hostile. It seemed that Bobby's sentiment mirrored that of the majority of the Romans. Annabeth realized that Gwen, Kota, Rey, and Hazel walking with them was more for protection then out of friendliness. The four girls did their best not to betray that fact, but it became more and more evident the farther from the cliff and the beach they got.

"And here we are, Nidus." Kota said, a bit of relief seeped into her voice as they stopped in front of a tent that seemed to give off a feeling of welcome, of warmth. It was home.

"Nidus?" Leo asked looking at the tent that seemed to standout from those around it.

"The Nest?" Annabeth translated unsure, thinking it an odd name for the tent.

"Yes," Hazle said. "The Nest roosted over by the Mother Hen and her lil Miss in training."

Bia looked up at her tent, happy to see that it seemed just like she'd left it. The ground out front of Nidus was clean swept and hard packed, child sized practice swords and bows and quivers were stacked neatly by the front, along with a few more typical children's toys such as jump ropes and playground balls. To one side, a small group of Nati practiced with Pilums under the watchful eye of a teenage boy. A bench sat to the side, under a tree, on a patch of grass. A few books and scrolls were piled on the bench. Flowerbeds and a small vegetable patch were planted on the left, behind the bench. Something about the Nidus was just much more maintained, warmer and more welcoming; the white curtain door way was pulled open, allowing light in. It was through here that the group entered and stepped into organized chaos, reigned over by strawberry blonde with her back to the entrance.

The girl was everywhere at once, listening to one group of small children reciting Latin declensions, breaking up a disagreement between two more children on the other side of the tent before it even began, rattling off instructions to another set of children, she had a sixth sense for where she was needed. There was some sort of light that danced around the room with her movements.

"Lou-?"

"One moment Drew." She went back to a quick conversation she was having with a girl over something the girl had written.

"Loulou-"

After she finished checking the girls paper, two more children waited for their turns.

"Allouette!"

"Andrew Miller! I requested your patience for a moment, I expect it. Thank you, but I am aware that my sister and her guests have just walked in." She turned, taking a deep breath, toward the entrance. "Welcome," she smiled at the Greeks, "excuse me a moment, she turned to a group of children in the back left corner working on chainmail. "Jer, you will be picking those up?" Though it was phrased as a question, it wasn't one.

"But Lou-?"

"But nothing, I know that it was not Elain's fault and if you throw anymore links I will have you on punish duty so fast your head will spin." She turned back to the group at the door, "I'm sorry. Allouette Fournier, daughter of Vesta." She shook hands with the Greeks as they introduced themselves. "Well, come sit by the hearth, I'll grab something to drink." She lead them to a cluster of comfortable looking chairs by the fire. As she went to get a pitcher of water flavored with lemon and lime, most of the Nati came to great Bia and Jason with hugs for Bia and more respectful salutes for Jason. Piper, Annabeth and Leo were beginning to realize that in a lot of ways, this really was a military installation. Finally, Allouette rejoined the group by the fire as the Nati returned to their activities. "I've missed you Bia." She hugged her sister tightly, "We're going to have to have a talk later," Allouette glared at her sister before she turned to Jason. "And you Jason!" She tilted her head looking at him, "the east coast has been good to you," she hugged him, "or maybe it wasn't the east coast." She gave Piper a knowing smile, her eyes shifted between Piper, Jason, and Reyna. She settled into a seat of her own, and Leo realized what the cause of the light that danced around the tent was. It was sunlight reflecting off the length of Allouette's right leg visible under the knee length skirt she wore. Her right leg was metal; it looked almost like that of an Automaton.

"I'm sorry for running around like this. I feel so rude." She let her hair down from the knot at the back of her neck.

"I'm impressed with the way you keep track of everything and everyone in here." Annabeth said, looking around at the children and the high level of activity going on inside and out front of the tent. She vaguely figured she'd have kids when the time came, but she wasn't much for them at the moment.

"It comes with practice." Lou smiled. "Bobby's off sulking and licking his wounds?"

"Of course." Reyna said, "What else?"

"He'll come around," Gwen said, sipping on her water.

"Yes, well, many things will happen given the proper time," Lou replied. Subconsciously her eyes moved toward her three new acquaintances, a small shadow in the depths of her amber eyes suggested that she may not completely disagree with Bobby's feelings. "Now, I've had an extra tent readied for you guys, also a spare table in the dinning tent."

"Lupa wants to meet with all of us when she gets back from the Wolf House," Reyna added. "That won't be until this evening, though, so we have a few hours to show you guys around and allow you to get settled."

"Do you think that…wise?" Lou glanced around the group, ignoring the glare her sister threw her way.

"It will be fine." Jason said, then turned to Percy, "while I was at Camp Half-Blood, I heard you were an impressive swordsman."

Percy smiled, "I've heard that you're not bad yourself."

"Why don't you boys just whip them out and get them done, let's see who's bigger," Hazel said, "I mean better!" She quickly corrected herself, blushing as everyone laughed. "I meant better," she muttered.

"Well, whatever you meant, we've a few things to do before you two boys can play at whacking each other with sticks."

* * *

"So, it's not much, but, knowing Lou, it's comfortable." Hazel held open the entrance flap of the tent that Lou had had set up, at Bia's request for Piper, Leo, and Annabeth. She hadn't been sure where Bia, Jason, and Percy would choose to stay in this peculiar situation, so she'd had it set up for 6 just in case.

"Thanks, Hazel." Piper stepped into the shade of the tent and glanced around. The floor was wood slats like a deck, covered by rugs, 6 cots were set up, each with a spare blanket at the end, beside each bed was a small table. She dropped her bag on one of the beds and sat beside it. "You don't need to babysit me, I'm sure you've got stuff to do."

"I don't mind." Hazel smiled brightly, "It gives me a break from my regular duties. Besides, I want to hear all about Camp Half-Blood and if Mom is any different, and all sorts of juicy stuff! Like what did you _do_ to Jason? He's so different."

"Different?"

"More, I don't know, he seems more human. He's always been all work, work, work, and well, mostly that's the way it is here, except for Contraband night. He always seemed made of steel. It's good to see him a bit softer, it's just disconcerting. Come on, let's walk around." Hazel grabbed Piper's arm and dragged her back out of the tent.

The two girls walked, Hazel chattering away about this person or that person, this thing or that thing, Piper was wrapped up in her own mind. She wasn't sure if she was being paranoid and imagining the looks that everyone had been shooting between her, Jason and Reyna, or if there was really something there.

"Hazel? Could I ask you something?" Piper bit her lip, she'd just met this girl, but she had the notion that if she was going to get an answer it was from her 'sister'.

"'Course."

"It seemed like earlier, before everyone split off, that you guys all kept looking at me and Jason, then Reyna, like you expected her to say something."

"That's because Reyna and Jason used to, date? I guess? People around here don't really date. Lupa frowns on personal relationships between us all, especially us officers, she says it clouds judgment, makes us weak. They haven't been together for ages, but Reyna has still put a big in the ear of any girl that looks at Jason twice. She says it's because no one around here is right for him, though she seems to like you."

"Oh, ok." Piper thought this over, but still felt like there was something she was missing. So Reyna and Jason were still close? Not that it was completely unheard of, but it was curious for ex's to be as close as they seemed. "When did they break up?"

"Ages ago…At least a year and a few months…"Hazel wracked her brain, "Yes, it would have to have been not this past summer but the one before."

"Howcome?"

"Geez! You are full of questions."

"I just want to make sure I'm not stepping on any toes."

"Makes sense," Hazel paused as though she were internally debating something, "come on, I've got another one of our siblings you have to meet." Hazel glanced up to check the position of the sun, then turned Piper around and steered her toward what turned out to be the Roman's equivalent of the arena. Hazel and Piper made their way around the edge of the crowd of demi-gods paired off and practicing. "Amelia!" Hazel called and waved to one of the girls who had just finished her bout.

"Hey honey!" Amelia grabbed a water bottle and made her way over to Hazel and Piper. "Did you see me just kick Cody's butt! He's got me best two out of three, but hey, I'll take the win where I can. Where's my baby? I thought you guys were all with the Graeci." She glanced at Piper.

"She's off talking Bobby down, the rest of us split up till Lupa gets back. This is our sister, Piper, daughter of Aphrodite. Piper, Amelia, daughter of Venus."

As the two Roman girls talked, Piper began to process, Amelia's baby? Reyna was the one who had gone off into the woods to talk to her brother.

"The one with Jason? It's good to meet you, Piper." Amelia shook her hand. "Anyone who can get that boy to smile the way everyone's been saying he is has accomplished something if you ask me. Reya hasn't tried to scare you off yet?"

"Not so far." Piper smiled, realizing she was talking to Jason's ex-girlfriends current girlfriend.

Amelia shook her head, "you've been here a whole hour? She must approve of you then, that or be very distracted. She's very opinionated on the type of girl that's right for Jason. I'm not sure she'd even score well on her checklist." She glanced over her shoulder to see how many of the other pairs were still fighting, "Ok, we're almost done here. I'm going to go run and freshen up, if you ladies don't mind. If Reyna and Bobby's conversation doesn't go well, I may have some drama ahead of me. It's good to meet you, Piper." The girl waved and ran off to what Piper assumed was the Venus tent.

"See?" Hazel smiled impishly, "No toes to worry about."

* * *

"…in the middle of the night, just a no note, no sign, you take your amoletum, so I can't even track or sense you…"

"Are you quite finished?" Bia finally interrupted when her sister, who had been raging at her for the past 10 minutes, since the Nati left, began to repeat herself. The two girls were in the back privet part of their tent, Bia sitting on her bed, Lou pacing back and forth.

"No I am not! You told Percy and Mica! You didn't tell your own sister?"

"You would have wanted to come. You would have worried."

"I did worry! It was selfish of you to just leave like that! After everything that happened with the titans? After Jason just disappearing!"

"If I had told you anything you wouldn't have been able to honestly tell Lupa you had no idea where I'd gone. You know you can't lie! Especially to her. I did what I had to do!"

"You did what you had to do," Lou scoffed. "You did what you wanted to do. You wanted an adventure."

"Allouette! That isn't fair!"

Glared at her sister, "You should have given me some idea of what you were up to."

"I am sorry that you worried. I was trying to protect you."

"Well stop it!" Lou flopped onto Bia's bed beside her, and wrapped her arms around her sister.

* * *

"This is awesome, Leo." Percy, Annabeth, Jason, Kota, and Gwen were walking around the Argo II. Leo was happy to show off his kickass war machine to Percy and the two Roman girls, he though Gwen seemed particularly interested.

"Thanks, man. I'm just glad it came out so good."

"That figure head is amazing!" Kota and Gwen were leaning over the front railing looking at Festus.

"That's Festus." Jason said, "He was a good dragon."

"Is that the same dragon from when the Myrmekes captured Beckendorf?" Percy looked down surprised, both that he remembered that game of capture the flag, the memory just coming into his mind when he looked at Festus' head and that they had managed to get the dragon.

"The one and only." Annabeth replied. "Leo managed capture and fix Festus, then he and Piper and Jason took him on their quest."

"Festus got blasted out of the sky during the quest, and Dad dropped his head back off at camp for me. I knew it would come in handy."

"Vulcan, I mean Hephaestus just popped in, picked up the dragon head and dropped it off at Camp Half-Blood for you?" Dakota looked between Jason and the Greeks in disbelief.

"I wish our parents put in appearances once in awhile." Gwen considered what she'd just said, "or maybe not."

"Often times it's not a good thing when they stop by." Percy shook his head thinking of some of his less then beneficial interactions with the gods.

"Usually they want something, or just feel like interfering because they're bored." Annabeth added.

"Sometimes they mean well, though." Percy had to admit that they had helped him some over the last few years.

Dakota and Gwen began asking Annabeth questions about their various quests, adventures, and interactions with the gods. Leo took the opportunity to pull Jason aside.

"Hey Jason."

"What's up?"

"I was wondering," Leo looked over to the other four to make sure they wouldn't over hear. "Bia's sister, Lou, her leg-?"

Jason frowned, "like I said, she survived, just a bit worse for wear. She was," he frowned, "8, I think. All the ambrosia and nectar we could give her without risking the side effects and we couldn't save her leg. She's got a scar up her side, too. A couple of the Vulcan children designed and fabricated the leg for her."

"Geez, no wonder Bia's got an extra problem with the Basilisk."

"We thought we were going to lose Louette for a little bit there." Jason's eyes were flat remembering how concerned everyone was.

"Just, don't mention it in front of Bia. Lou's ok, but Bia thinks since she's the big sister it's her fault, there was nothing she could have done though."

"Hey guys!" A voice called from the dock.

"What's up, Reya?"

"Lupa's back. She wants us all."

* * *

A/N Thank you for reading! Questions, comments, opinions, suggestions all are greatly appreciated and more then welcome. I'm more then happy to discuss! I love to hear what you guys think! I decided I needed to do something unexpected and issue ending with Reyna, soo there you have it. I hadn't planned on that when I started this fic, but it popped into my head and stuck, soo there you have it.

I hope you enjoyed!  
Miette


	11. Contraband Night

A/N Sorry for the long wait! I hope it proves worth it. After being thoroughly and appropriately chastised by AwesomeTori (who should not have worried about the copy past thing), I give you, the next chapter! My explanation (not to be misconstrued as an excuse) for the delay is two fold. The first is that I felt like things were getting more then a little cracked out and I was loosing my grasp on the story. Also, there are aspects of this chapter I'm quite pleased with, but there are aspects that I'm unsatisfied with. So, between trying to regain control of my plot and direction and trying to reconcile some of the aspects of this chapter that left me unsatisfied, we all had a very long wait. :-/

Thank yous to AwsomeTori, Ramzes, ShadowOfMyLight, Mangofishy, Assassins Stole My Pants, and Shoshoanna79 for your reviews! :-D Thankies to all of the new faves and alerts! ::sigh:: I hope I haven't lost or disappointed too many people who began this crazy ride of creativity of entertainment with me.

Without farther ado, enjoy! Questions, comments, opinions, and wonderful flowery compliments and not so flowery compliments are appreciated! Constructive criticism is also appreciated!

Enjoy!  
Miette

**Discliamer** I do not own anything that comes from the actual, published novels by Rick Riordan, everything contained there is his intellectual property, or atleast not mine!

* * *

The great mother wolf paced back and forth at the head of the table. Her camp leaders sat, relatively calmly, all things considered, with the Greek outsiders interspersed with them.

"Lupa Mater-"

"Silence!" She growled at Bia, who quickly dropped her eyes to her hands and the yarn in them. "Is there any sign as to who the final hero fated to go on this quest is?"

"No, Lupa. Rach, I mean the Oracle of Delphi tried to see anything that would help us, but she was given no visions. They'll IM us if she does see anything, though." Jason said.

"They have an Orcale? Why don't-"

Lupa growled at Bobby's interruption, baring her teeth. "And if there is no indication before Monday? That's still when you intend to leave?"

"There will be." Annabeth spoke with certainty, her fingers clasped with Percy's under the table.

"You seem to be thinking with your feelings, not the facts, daughter of Athena." Lupa turned to Annabeth, she was still unsure of what to make of these Greek Heroes, coming to her Schola, putting her pups and legionaries in danger.

"I have learned over my quests and the war that there are times you must follow your feelings and gut as well as facts, however, I'm also looking at the facts. As difficult and unaware as the gods can be, they want as to succeed, need us to succeed; they will give us what we need. It is for their sake as well as ours."

"Well said. We Olympians do try to help when and where we can."

"Hera." Annabeth tried to keep the bitterness out of her voice as she and the four Greeks turned distrustful eyes on the goddess who had just entered the command tent. The Romans, on the other hand rose to their feet, unsure of how to react, the gods entered their lives even less frequently then they entered the lives of the Greeks. Juno's recent interference not withstanding. They'd also been taught to have great respect for Juno as one part of the Capitoline Triad.

"Watch your tone, Annabeth Chase. I am unhappy with you."

"That's nothing new," Percy muttered, and was ignored.

"We have to discuss the fact that your mother's new throne and temple are nicer than mine, Architect of Olympus. However that is not why I'm here."

"Juno Regina," Lupa bowed, "why have you honored us with your presence." Leo and Percy both had to contain snorts.

"I am here as the Moneta. I bear warning to you heroes and the promise that the last of your number will be revealed in due time."

"Due time?" Piper snapped, "We're supposed to set out on Monday, today is Friday. When is your 'due time' going to be?"

"You've become rather confident in yourself since I saw you last, daughter of Aphrodite. You think a small talent for Charm Speaking makes you a hero?"

Piper quickly dropped her eyes at Juno's rebuke.

"Juno Regina, you would not be with us, nor would I, if it weren't for Piper's 'small talent for Charm Speaking'." Jason defended Piper through clenched teeth.

"Besides, she hates Charm Speaking." Leo added, "Right, Beauty Queen?"

"Shut up," guys, Piper whispered, still looking down. Her brief moment of speaking up over, she didn't like the attention on her and did not want to go into any part of their quest, still a bit sensitive over her fathers abduction and her thoughts on betraying her friends.

"Be that as it may…" Juno looked around the group of demigods before her, "Among you, who are to go on this quest, you have cleverness, in abundance and different forms, you have charm, loyalty, the abilities to bend various elements to your will, determination, you have already successfully completed great feats that will cause your names to be remembered for the ages. Among you, you have the blessings and curses of nearly all of the Olympians. What are you missing? Think on that, godlings, and," a smile that did not reach Juno's eyes or warm her face curled her lips, "think on the fact that you must be open minded about what you're up against, you do not see half of it. If this is gone about wrongly, you will not be successful. Just beware, for the Catulus." With that, Juno was gone, no chance for the stunned group to ask her what in the name of all of the occupants of Olympus she'd been talking about.

"Catulus?" Bobby asked looking around at the others to see if they were any less confused.

"Catalyst?" Reyna replied offhandedly, feeling equally confused.

"Is it just me," Leo asked, "or did something about what she said sound real similar to the basilisk from earlier?"

"Maybe. I feel as though we're missing so much!" Annabeth put her head in her hands, exasperation clear in her voice.

"We are. There is no question of that." Dakota shook her head slowly, "Ok, seven half-bloods in the prophecy." She began ticking off on her fingers, "Percy, Jason, Annabeth, Piper, Leo, Bia."

Hazel began picking up on Dakota's train of thought, "Juno Regina said something about, the qualities the group has and the qualities they lack." Hazel said slowly, looking at the 6 they were nearly positive were supposed to go on the quest. "Cleverness, that's you, Annabeth, as a daughter of Miner-Athena." Hazel corrected herself, she wasn't sure she'd ever get used to the strange Greek names.

"Probably, Leo, too." Piper spoke up, "Hera mentioned cleverness in abundance and different forms. Annabeth is smart, but Leo's good on the fly, and on fixing and building stuff, like that."

"Piper's right." Annabeth agreed, "That's definitely a type of cleverness."

"Maybe we should be focusing on what we don't have?" Bia asked looking at the others for opinions.

"Yes, but we need to be sure of what we do have before we can see that." Annabeth replied, thinking. "Control over various elements, Jason over the air and lightning, Percy over water, Leo and Bia over fire..."

"That's also two of the three Big Three, there." Percy put in, "Me and Jason. Maybe it's you, Dakota? That would be children of all three Big Three."

"Big Three?" The girl in question asked.

"That's what they call the three ruling brothers," Jason explained, "Jupiter, Neptune, and Pluto."

"Oh, cool. So, sort of like the Archaic Triad? O di! Deos meos! Of course." She snapped her fingers. "The Archaic Triad." She turned to the two Children of Mars sitting beside her, "I bet it's one of you guys."

"Of course!" Gwen said, "both the Archaic Triad and the Capitoline Triad would be represented." She turned to the Greeks, "We don't recognize the 'Big Three', but we have the two Triads. The original, the Archaic Triad, Jupiter, Mars, and Quirinus."

"That's probably the closest equivalent we have to your Big Three," Jason said, realizing where Dakota's and Bia's thought process was going. "Here, Mars is far more respected then you guys respect Ares."

Annabeth shuddered, "Care to meet Ares?" She remembered the god of wars part in her and Percy's first quest. "It fits, though. What are we missing that would be particularly beneficial in a likely battle and possible war?"

"The god of war," Reyna turned to her brother as she spoke, "but which of us?"

Bobby shrugged, "well, we have a few days until Juno Regina's due time needs to come." He cracked his knuckles as he spoke, both brother and sister looked ready to take on whatever was headed their way.

"I suppose that is _somewhat_ settled then," Lupa stated grudgingly. She was still far from happy about this situation, though, like her pups, she understood and accepted that sometimes sacrifices and decisions you don't necessarily like have to be made in order to be victorious.

"Ok, can we go through this one more time? I feel like you guys lost me."

Annabeth rolled her eyes at her Seaweed Brain, slowly she said "The theory is that the last person for the quest is either Reyna or Bobby. Apparently as Mars Ares isn't as…" she tried to think of a non-offensive way to say immature, annoying, and arrogant, she didn't think she could afford to offend anymore gods at the moment.

"Ares-ish?" Percy supplied.

"Sure. Anyway, Mars is a lot more respected around here and important than Ares is at home. OK?"

"Think we could send Clarisse here?"

"Oh come on, she's gotten better."

"Better doesn't mean good," Percy grumbled but dropped the discussion.

"All caught up now?" Kota seemed to be holding in a laugh as she watched the interaction between Percy and Annabeth.

"I suppose," Percy gave his girlfriend a long suffering look.

"Fine then." Lupa sounded distracted, "I believe you all have something to occupy yourselves this evening?"

"What-?" Jason began to question, but was silenced by a quelling glare from Reyna until Lupa had left the tent.

"Don't tell me you've forgotten!" Hazel said happily, receiving confused looks from the Greeks, Percy included and Bia and Jason.

"Contraband Night?"

"Is tonight?" Bia tried to go over her mental calendar, realizing it was indeed Contraband Night. 'Good,' she thought to herself, maybe her new Greek friends would get to see her old Roman friends relaxed and happy, as the so rarely are. Bia was concerned about the opinions the Greeks were forming of the less then friendly Roman Schola, not that it was unjustified. Though, they were far more relaxed and opened then she'd dared to hope they would be, she suspected it was more from resignation to the necessity of the situation and a bit forced, but she'd take it.

"What's Contraband Night? You guys haven't talked about that before." Percy asked, confused as to how he could have missed something seemingly important all of the time he's been at the Schola.

"It's one of the few nights we get to relax a bit." Bobby actually allowed a small smile, "Come on, we'll show you guys." The anticipation caused even Bobby to relax a bit, he decided these Greeks didn't seem so bad, at least right now.

* * *

Mica, Drew, and Kiki, scrambled back from the hiding spot behind the command tent as quietly as they could when they realized Lupa was leaving. They knew they would be in a world of trouble if they got caught spying again so soon.

"They should let us come, instead of Rey or Bobby!" Drew grumbled, once they'd made it over to Nidus.

"Don't hold your breath," Kiki said, though she wished just as much as her brother that they were allowed to help. She sat down under a tree, her brother and friend dropping beside her.

"It's just like the war, we get to stay here and practice declensions and learn about the old heroes and worry about the worry about the current heroes." Mica sighed, she and her two best friends were impatient for their chance to help. She kicked a stone, "maybe something will happen and they'll need us."

"Right, and maybe we'll wake up tomorrow all grown up and 13." Kiki replied.

"I wish we could have seen Queen Juno!" Drew said, thinking back on the conversation they just 'overheard', "I wonder what a she looks like."

"She didn't sound very nice. I didn't like her voice." Mica said thoughtfully.

"I bet they've all gotten to meet all of the gods and goddesses." Kiki jumped to her feet and mimed shooting a bow and arrow, "When we're heroes, _we'll_ meet all of the gods and goddesses and they'll love us. They'll think we're the best heroes ever!"

"We will be the best heroes ever!" Mica stated, day dreaming a bit about the monsters they could fight and the people they could save. She knew her mother would be proud of her.

"Promitto!" Drew stood beside his sister, pulling Mica to her feet. "We'll be the best heroes ever! The three of us, together."

The girls looked at eachother, not even considering the promise he was asking of them, of course that was how it would be! "Promitto!"

"And what is it, my dear periculum triplex, that you are letting go forward?" Lou stepped out of the tent, scrunching her eyes against the setting sun.

"Nothing!" The three looked far too innocent to be up to nothing.

"If you say so. Go, wash for dinner guys, and _please_ stay out of trouble! For the evening?"

* * *

Upon leaving the command tent where they'd all been meeting with Lupa, Dakota lead the way into the woods. "Contraband Night is one of those things Lupa pretends that she doesn't know about, but of course, she does."

"She knows everything that goes on." Reyna added, "You can't keep anything from her, but sometimes she'll over look things. This is one of them."

"I guess she realizes we need some sort of moral booster in order to be in top shape." Bobby said as they became completely surrounded by trees.

"Besides, we only get to do this every six months, so, Lupa lets it slide." Gwen said, ducking around a low hanging tree branch.

"Yes, except for that time we went off of the Schola! Do you remember how livid she was?" Bia laughed at the memory.

"Oh yea! For your birthday, Hazel!" Dakota gave Hazel a one armed hug as they walked.

"What?"

"When we went dancing?"

"Oh yea! Lupa had us on KP for _ever_! She reamed us out in front of the whole legion!" Hazel laughed, "We're still living that down!"

"Deos meos, was she angry, raging at us for being poor examples of leaders. I think she would have demoted us if she could have manged to demote all of her senior officers in one go." Reyna paused, remembering, "it was worth it, though. I think that was the first time I'd been out in the real world, the first time any of us had been out in," she shook her head, "ages."

The group walked for about 15 minutes, before they came to a clearing with a rude cabin. "Welcome, to our getaway." Dakota greeted as she held the door open for everyone.

What they found in the cabin was not what the Greeks were expecting, though truth to tell they weren't really sure what to expect. The inside of the cabin was bright and welcoming, around the room were an assortment of comfortable seating options as well as a sound system, two computers, a couple of tvs, dvds, audio cds, video and computer games, board games, and what smelled like-

"Deos meos! Buffalo chicken pizza! This is all for me!" Hazle grabbed one of the hot pizza pies sitting on the counter.

"Don't be greedy, Hazle. I'll bet you anything Chad and Alexis got that because they knew Jason would be back."

"Yea, yea yea," Hazel handed Jason a slice of their shared favorite pizza before taking one for herself.

"If you know that right children of Mercury, in this case Chad Davenport and Alexis Klein, and for the right price you can get anything." Bobby said, starting to set up the Wii that was by one of the tv's.

"So, we get a party twice a year." Dakota said walking over to a stack of DVDs laid by one of the televisions.

"Shotty the stereo!" Gwen nearly ran toward it.

"Gods! Please no country this time!"

"Hey! For your information, some of my favorite older brothers and sisters are fabulous country artists!" The irritated daughter of Apollo said, her hand pausing over a stack of CDs. Bobby didn't even answer, knowing it was a losing battle.

"Veg, right?" Reyna held up one box containing a salad pizza and another box containing a plain cheese to Piper.

"Thanks," Piper grabbed a slice of the salad pizza, awkwardly looking around. Leo shrugged grabbing a slice of pepperoni.

"Salad pizza? I'm soo getting a slice of that next!" Hazel sighed, from where she was laying on a chaise.

"I have no idea how you stay so thin." Gwen shook her head.

"High activity and infrequency of junk food consumption, Miss Def ate a whole pizza by herself last time."

"It was Hawaiian pizza!" Gwen haughtily defended herself as though that some how made it better, settling beside Leo with a smile for the son of Hephaestus.

Bia laughed, "Oh, it was Hawaiian pizza, in that case it's totally ok for you to eat the whole thing."

"Ok, that? I did not miss." Gwen shuddered, "you still have the most ridiculous laugh ever."

"Oh, shut up!" Bia threw a pillow, ducking the return volley Gwen sent her way.

"Ok!" Once everyone had settled down with pizza and soda, and Gwen had gotten her way with a couple of country songs, Dakota grabbed everyones attention. "What should we watch tonight?"

"Clash of the Titans!" Bobby said, through a mouthful of pepperoni pizza.

"NO!" Reyna, Kota, Hazel, Gwen and Bia shouted in unison at Bobby, following up their rejection with several pillows aimed at him, or in Hazel's case, smacking him from her spot beside him.

Gwen rolled her eyes, "He's been trying to get us to watch that for_ ages_!" She explained to the Greeks.

"Yes, he seems to think we would want to watch a poorly done, fictional version, of a story we've had drummed into our heads." Hazel put in.

"Forget the fact that there are no actual titans in the movie…" Reyna added.

"Though, there _is_ Liam Neeson, that has to count for something." Hazel said considering.

"Yes, and it is a sad, sad blight on his wondrous career and wondrousness." Bia said, bowing her head as though in a moment of silence, the other girls followed her example.

"Right, actual options!" Dakota raised her head and said, after the girls' moment.

"Are they always like this?" Piper whispered to Jason, surprised at the change in the Romans. As they got closer to the cabin they had become much less uptight and more amusing, now they seemed to have regressed to their actual teenage ages, instead of the grave intense side they'd been trying and only partially succeeding to hide since the Greeks arrived.

"Mostly only on Contraband Night. It really is one of the few times we can just let go."

"Though, they do all really have a thing for Liam Neeson." Bobby shook his head, "Even Rey. I think we've watched every movie he's done."

"Even Narnia, and you couldn't actually see him." Jason added.

"No," Gwen sighed, "but you could hear his gorgeous voice!"

"Right," Bobby looked at the girl like she'd grown two extra heads.

A consensus, which in this case means the girls pick three movies and the guys picked the lesser of the evils, was finally reached on a movie. The evening went too quickly, though the Romans having only this and one other night in a whole year to themselves, they knew how to make the most of it. Pizza and a movie were followed by a series of games, icecream, music with Gwen and Bobby fighting over the genre of music, dancing, and talking and relaxing.

"So," Dakota dropped onto the couch beside Bia who was currently sitting alone watching everyone. Gwen had dragged Leo to his feet and was trying to get him to dance with her, Percy and Annabeth were sitting, their heads together, not talking, just being content in their reunion. Bobby, Reyna, Jason and Piper seemed to be in the midst of an intense game of Wii Golf, Hazel acting as cheerleader for whoevers turn it was.

"So?"

"I want to hear about this son of Hades of yours."

"Nico isn't 'mine'. No nagging!"

Kota rolled her eyes, "As Hazel would say, he's technically my brother, so I'm simply interested in my brother. Spill!"

"There is nothing to spill." Bia sighed, "He's totally damaged."

"Well, he _is_ a demi-god, that sort of comes with the territory with our types."

"Thank you, I had no idea." Bia rolled her eyes.

"Seriously, though, you as well as any of us know, we've all got a little bit of damaged in us. Even the least powerful child, with the weakest attraction for monsters with the most stable mortal family is a little damaged. It's part of the package, battle reflexes, hard wired for Latin, and damaged. And you think you can fix us all."

"I don't think I can fix everyone."

"It doesn't stop you from trying!" Reyna called from the other side of the room, Bia hadn't even realized she'd been listening.

"When did this become a group conversation?" Bia asked, looking around and realizing _everyone_ was listening to her and Dakota.

"Pretty much as soon as everyone realized Kota was asking you about Nico," Piper responded, not bothering to suppress her smile.

"You are good for him." Annabeth said, turning to Percy she added, "you should have seen him, he was _almost_ his old self. It was nice."

"Mythomagic?"

"Minus the Mythomagic."

"Good."

"Seaweed Brain." She shoved him lightly.

"Oh, look!" Bia looked at her wrist as though checking the time on a watch she didn't wear. "It's time to go back, darn." She got up and began bustling around straightening up the cabin.

"Oh come on, Bibi!" Gwen took a stack of empty pizza boxes from Bia's hands, pouting.

"That face works much better when your sister employees it."

"Maybe, but who do you think Kiki learned it from?"

Bia looked at each person in the room in turn as she spoke, enunciating each word, "There is nothing to tell! We've become friends. He's sweet."

"Yes, and since he met you, for the first time since he lost his sister, he actually stayed at camp for more than a day or two at a time." Annabeth stated.

"Not to mention that my mother and yours were completely conspiring to get you two to hangout." Piper added.

"Proh!" Bia throw up her hands in exasperation, "Dogs with a bone! The lot of you! That's what you are, like dogs with a bone or children and a new toy!"

"Whatever. We just need you to find someone that's going to make you relax and take care of you instead of you running around taking care of everyone." Everyone stared at Bobby, shocked that something so close to deep and sensitive came out of his mouth, "What? I've got feelings."

"Sure," Reyna knocked on his head, "somewhere in there."

Bobby's response was to flip Reyna onto the floor, resulting in a fight between the two children of Mars.

By the time everything was straightened up, Reyna and Bobby had stopped trying to kill eachother, no one was sure who actually won the wrestling match.

The walk out of the woods back to the main area of the Schola seemed to take far less time than the walk to the cabin.

"Percy?" Annabeth squeezed Percy's fingers in her hand as she paused and stepped to the side so they ended up at the back of the procession.

"What's up, Wise Girl?"

She laid her head on his shoulder as they continued walking, "I've just missed you, I feel like I've missed so much of your life now. I guess it's only been a few weeks, but it feels like so much, and I'm not sure how to ask, I feel like there are probably parts I may not want to know."

"I never cheated on you, if you're worried about that. I mean, I did think a couple of the girls were sweet or cute, but even before my memory started to come back I had a feeling I had someone even better waiting for me."

"You're being cheesy."

"It's part of my charm."

Annabeth just laughed, but didn't deny it. As much as she wasn't a girl for a lot of over the top romantic gestures or cheesiness, a little bit of cheese was cute coming from Percy.

"I spent most of my time with the officers, these guys," he gestured to the demigods walking in front of them, "and even most of that with Bia and the kids. Bia was trying to help me get my memory back, and no one else really helps her and Lou with the Nati, Gwen and Kota try, but they get frustrated with them and they have other responsibilities. It's sort of odd because they're all very protective of the kids, everyone here has a very strong sense of duty and responsibility and that includes teaching and protecting the kids. Not that we don't have duty and responsibility at Camp, but it's like a specific thing here. I like kids." Percy added the last bit almost as an offhanded revelation.

"That's because you're an overgrown kid." Annabeth smiled though, she had a feeling if the time ever came Percy would be a good father. "Bia said when you first got here, Bobby attacked you?"

"Attacked seems strong, but yea. I mean, wouldn't you be suspicious if some stranger just appeared at Camp?"

"One did, her name was Bia McCarthy."

"Ok, point taken, but by that time you guys had already decided you could trust Jason and I'm guessing by the time she showed up Jason remembered her? Besides, Camp Half-Blood is much more willing to accept nearly any and all half-bloods as they come. Here it's more shot first, then _maybe_ ask questions if Lupa is in a good mood or Gwen or Bia is around to be the voice of moderation. You guys have only seem a minuscule-"

"Minuscule?"

"Yes, minuscule, are you impressed?"

"Very." Annabeth stepped in front of Percy, leaning up to kiss him.

"I need to use big words more often. Anyway, you've only seen a small piece of that. They've been trying to be very open and on good behavior with you guys coming, but yes I woke up on the beach a ways up. I walked all morning, it felt like a couple of hours, and then I saw some people in the distance. Bia was sitting on the dunes with some of the six and seven yearolds going over a couple of the old stories. Anyway, I figured going toward people was a good plan, being as I was walking on the beach with no idea where I was or who I was. Bobby was leading a small patrol and saw me. I would have kicked his butt of Mica and Bia hadn't come over."

"Uh-huh."

"I would have, anyway. I was really confused then, but somehow I knew I had riptide in my pocket, and I knew it was a sword, and the whole fight just came naturally. Then when Mica fell, I was afraid she was going to get hurt. So I grabbed her, and I was trying to think of how to keep Bobby away somehow, I didn't want to keep fighting with this little girl there, and all of a sudden, the wave just came over. It was pretty awesome. There were a rough couple of days when Bobby was convinced I was some sort of dangerous spy. He thought I was left over from the halfbloods who fought with the titans, and he thought I was full of crap about not being able to remember anything. He kept me under guard. For a few days, but well, then I'm not sure what finally gave, but he realized I wasn't playing him. It was uphill from there. Bia had been having dreams that I was involved in for a few weeks, and she was convinced something big was going on and that my showing up had to do with Jason disappearing. After that, nothing very exciting, trying to get my memories back, trying to fit in here. Then Bia decided she was going to try to get to this place I vaguely sort of remembered, Camp Half-blood and find you and find Jason, and as we know that plan seems to have worked pretty well."

"Yes, nice for a plan to go right for once." She gave him another kiss as they reached the cluster of tents that made up the main part of the Schola.

* * *

A/N Sry again for the delay! I'm hoping the story is going to improve from it, it was def headed far far far down the road of cracked out and I had to bring it back at least a little bit! (However, if you feel like giving some crackedoutness a try, join my on the journey of crazy my other story is so far. It's even rougher then this! lol)

Anything you feel soo moved as to say, please feel free to review! Compliments are always welcome, they def help encourage me, I appreciate those as much as more 'constructive' reviews! There will not be such a delay until the next chapter! I hope you enjoyed this chapter. This was a lot of getting to kno charcterness, I hope it didn't feel pointless, I was concerned about how my point in writing it was translating. Do you guys see what I was saying about aspects of this chapter I was less satisfied with? There were some things that I wanted shown and said, but I didn't want a silly pointless slow filler to be the vehicle for those things. If it was atleast entertaining, that's all I can ask.

Thanks for reading!  
Miette


	12. Dreams Revealed

Hi y'all! I'm sorry! I will never again complain about you being impatient ever again! Be impatient, nag all that you please! It helps me, especially when I'm feeling negative and self conscious about my story. So please be impatient and nag away. I'm selfish and in need of your praise! lol, Seriously though, after far too long here is another chapter, the next one should be soon to follow, it's already partially written. This was a tough one to get out, ::sigh:: we'll see, I'll be curious to see what you guys think. Either you're going to be terribly confused or you're going to get what's going on. I'm hope it's the latter. Thank you for my reviews! Praise, questions, comments, and opinions are greatly appreciated. Constructive criticisms is also appreciated after I sulk and get self conscious for a few :-D

Enjoy!  
Miette

**Disclaimer** I own nothing that belongs to Rick Riordan.

* * *

Bia shook her head at the site that greeted her when she entered the Nidus. On the floor, leaning against the fire place, Lou slept lightly, five small people curled on floor pillows around her. Lou and the children were all in their pajamas, a book lay open on Alouette's lap. Quietly, Bia moved about the room, picking up Lou's empty tea cup, debating if she should wake the group and send them to their beds.

"Bia?"

She turned toward the sleepy voice, "Hey, Josephine," Bia whispered to the sister of Mica. Josephine's father was a literature Professor and had been working on his thesis, which somehow involved _Little Women_ and _Jo's Boys,_ when he met Minerva. "What were you guys up to?"

"We got tired of waiting for you to read more of our book."

"Oh yea?" Bia kept her voice at a whisper, but the other children were beginning to stir at soft sound of her and Josephine's conversation. She picked up the book in question from her sister's lap, _The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe._ "What part are you guys at?"

"Where Edmund is rescued," Kiki said with a yawn.

"Yea, dumb Edmund." Drew rubbed sleep from his eyes.

"Why is Edmund dumb?" Bia asked, laying the book down on a table.

All five of the children began speaking at once.

"They have _very_ definite opinions on this subject." Lou said from her spot on the floor.

"Sorry, about waking you." Lou just shrugged in reply, "Ok, one at a time, what do you guys have against Edmund Pevensie?"

"He's dumb." Josephine said with a sniff, "he lets the evil witch trick him."

"He's nasty and hurtful," Kiki glanced at her brother, "how can he be so awful to his brother and sisters?"

Drew nodded in agreement with his sister, "He almost gets everyone hurt and killed, too."

"He made a mistake." Bia said looking at each of the unforgiving children. "A big mistake, but it's just a mistake. He sees the error of his ways, he realizes the White Witch is the bad guy and ends up fighting with his family and the Narnian's. Aslan forgives him, everyone forgives him."

"Because they're weak!" Anthony, Josephine's friend and a son of Mercury was one of the last people Bia expected to hear that response from.

"Forgiving people is weak, Ant?"

"Ok, maybe not _weak_, but, seriously! He betrayed his family, he almost got them killed, he had no problem working with the evil witch. And everyone just forgives him? Like nothing happened? Aslan takes his place on The Stone Table?"

"What do you think, Mica?"

The girl looked around, "I don't know. I don't like Edmund, but he's not_ evil_."

"You don't just help the bad guys, and then come back to the good guys and expect everything to be ok!" Kiki said.

"You don't think people should get second chances when they make a mistake, Ki?" Bia wrung her hands behind her back, out of the view of the children.

"That's not a mistake, that's a betrayal."

"Edmund didn't realize the Queen was evil when he first met her."

"That's because he's dumb." Josephine said. "If he'd listened to his sister or used part of his brain he would have realized. He was just thinking of himself and food, though."

"Well, food is a strong incentive, I'd trust someone that gave me food." Anthony said, ducking the swing Josephine aimed at his head.

"What if I made a mistake? Or one of your brothers or sisters or friends made a mistake like that?"

The children all looked between each other, thinking up a response.

"Alright, consider this query while Somnus gives you sleep. Perhaps Morpheus will give you dreams on the matter." Lou began to shoo the children out. "It's is far beyond time for you lot to be in bed, off with you."

Grumbling, the children headed out to their respective tents where they slept with their brothers and sisters.

Bia dropped like a rock onto the hearth, placing her head in her hands.

"How was party night?"

"Fine." Bia's voice was tight as she responded shortly to her sister.

"They're Nati, they don't know what they're talking about, Bi."

"What?" Bia looked up at her sister, trying to school her features into a false content confusion.

"About the whole Edmund/traitor/reality thing. They don't know. It's just a book. They're kids, it's black and white to them."

"I don't know what you're talking about?"

"You're upset about what they were saying."

Bia rolled her eyes at her sister as she rose and headed to the back part of the Nidus where their tent is. She tried not to think of what she'd often said before of Children seeing things more clearly then grown people. "You're being silly."

"Sure I am." Lou sighed, she recognized the tone in her sisters voice and the hard matte look in her sisters eyes, there was no light in them at the moment. If she kept pushing, all she was going to accomplish was getting Bia in a temper, not something she felt like dealing with.

It was a few short hours later that Bia woke in a cold sweat. She felt as though a tight hand was clenched around her neck. She tried to ease her loud breathing, not wanting Lou to wake up asking what was wrong. The same dread from the same nightmare that had been repeating since that night at Camp Half Blood gripped her, but this time it was different. This time, she remembered her dream. She knew what upset her, and on top of her fear and worry, she was sick to her stomach. With a glance at Lou's sleeping form, Bia silently rose from her bed, tugging the sheets into passable neatness by habit. She slipped her feet into a pair of soft slippers and pulled an oversized sweater jacket over the cami and pajama shorts she wore. Moving by rote, not conscious thought, she made a mug of hot green tea and went outside. In the nominal light of false dawn, she made her way to 'her rock', a large relatively flat, level boulder a bit away from the tents where she liked to lay and watch the sky. This morning, she could watch the sky gradually lighten with the sunrise and the approach of Apollo's chariot. Once she'd laid back, she could no longer avoid allowing the dream she'd to the forefront of her mind for consideration. She thought it was a cruel dream for Morpheus to bestow upon her, or whatever god or goddess asked the god of dreams to place it in her sleeping mind. Bia knew that a peoples poor decisions and actions often came back to haunt them, but she thought it was usually years before they had to address them. Though she knew she couldn't make amends, she was trying and she thought she'd have more than a few months to live down her atrocious and misguided lack of judgment.

_Bia watched the scene in the dream unfold as an outsider, as though watching a movie, not an active participant. It was dark, the dead of night, but a nice night, clear, warm, the type of night that made you want to lay back and listen to the crickets and cicadas in the middle of the summer. The only light was given off by the full moon and the stars the shone through the dense trees overhead. However, by this minimal light, Bia could see the characters of her dream. A tall, broad, well muscled teenage boy leaned back against a thick tree trunk, Andy. He seemed calm, waiting for something. Around him three other forms paced or sat by their nature, anxious. It was hard to make them out in the faint light, but Bia's memory supplied two of their identities. Patrick, a son of one of the minor gods, she was horrified to look back now and realize she had no idea what Pat's parentage was, paced back and forth beside Andy. The second figure was an Empusae who sat back, seemingly bored and sulking. The third figure, stood talking to Andy, though Bia did not realize she had been there that night._

_ "You are sure she will come? I am surprised her loyalties could have been swayed."_

_ "Her loyalty is to me, Ceto. She is naive and idealistic, simple to convince that the change is for the best." Andy didn't look up from his hands where he was cleaning his nails with a knife. Ceto, the monstrous daughter of Gaea and Pontus, glared at Andy's calm confidence. "Go, Ceto. She will be here soon, you're presence is not one I want to have to explain. She is ignorant of much of the truth of our plan and in denial of more. No need to change that now and risk losing her." With a huff the sea demon disappeared and a moment later, the girl they'd been discussing stepped through the trees._

_ Bia nearly didn't recognize herself in the girl that walked up to Andy. She wore all black, blending into the shadows around them, her long braided hair was heavy with a spiked strap, same as she'd worn the day they set out on the Argo II, a deterrent for anyone who grabbed her hair to try again. Her clothing, however, wasn't what made her own appearance so unfamiliar to her. The smirk on her face was mimicked in the way she held herself, all of her body language. It displayed a coldness, a feeling so alien to her nature, she'd felt for weeks, maybe even months leading up to this night. She dropped her bag at her feet and leaned into Andy, tightly wrapping her arms around his neck._

_ "Are they suspicious?" He snaked his arms around her waist as he spoke._

_ "Not a bit. They all believe we were growing apart in the last few weeks before you left. They believe I'm heartbroken and worried about you going over to the 'dark side'. They'll have no idea what to make of my disappearance."_

_ "Good job, kitten." He kissed her cheek before releasing her waist and grabbing her hand, "we've a bit of a trek before us, we'd better get going before anyone notices your gone."_

_ The scene changed, Bia couldn't recall exactly how long after the night she left the Schola to meet up with Andy it was, but she thought it was about a week and a half after the first scene of her dream. Bia stood on Mount Orthy's, worrying her bottom lip between her teeth. Her eyes were locked on San Francisco far below. She couldn't acknowledge the scene around her or higher up on the hill. She kept going over in her mind what she was doing here with Andy, with the Titans, with the more and more monsters she realized were involved each day. Something had to change. She and Andy agreed on that. Too many parentless children that didn't need to be. She thought of the Nati she looked after, some of them so young. They asked for their parents, both their mortal and godly, especially when they first arrived and it broke her heart a bit more each time she held one and tried to explain why they couldn't see their mortal parent or why they'd never met their godly one. She hated the red and tearstained faces. She hoped they weren't missing her too much, Lou would take good care of them, if she needed extra hands Gwen and Kota liked the kids well enough without the extra ease the two daughters of Vesta had inherited from their mother. Bia's frown deepened at the thought of her sister and her friends, but she was here for them, too. There was no reason a child should have lost her leg so young as Alouette did. There was no reason her friends should have to risk their health and lives and receive no acknowledgment from their parents as they did. It was their parents fault Lou had been hurt. It was their parents fault for the friends they'd lost in quests and skirmishes. Andy had shown here that. She'd blamed herself when Lou was hurt, she should have better protected her baby sister, but Andy had shown her it wasn't her fault. Andy was the only one who knew what had happened to her mortal family after she'd left and he'd shown her how it wouldn't have happened if not for her mother and the gods. It wasn't her fault. Her father, her three aunts, her adorable little cousins, Moira, Fiona, and Liam all dead, and her mother had done nothing. Her mother could have prevented it. It was the night that Bia had told Andy they were dead that he'd told her what he'd been doing, that he was helping the Titans and was going to give the Olympian's a wakeup call. She'd argued with him at first, it was crazy. However, as the tears dried for her family, she realized some of the truth of what he was saying. She was starting to think she'd been right in the first place, this was crazy, this wasn't the way to fix everything._

_ The scene changed again, Bia was pacing around, agitated, her agitation leaking out to everyone and everything around. She knew Andy would be angry with her, because he'd asked her to us her ability to ease peoples' minds and emotions to do just that for the 'soldiers' present at Orthy's, here she was doing the exact opposite, but she was pissed and didn't care._

_ "Bia!" she ignored Andy's voice behind her. "Bia!" He grabbed her arm, roughly turning her towards him._

_ "Get off of me." She glared at him, trying to wrench her arm from his iron grip._

_ "One little thing I asked you to do and instead of calming everyone, you're—you're intentionally agitating everyone."_

_ "I told you to get off of me."_

_ "And I told you to ease everyone's tension and make them happy." He twisted her arm behind her back, drawing a small gasp from her._

_ "You lied to me. You told me Lou and the Nati would be safe. You promised me that my friends and the young ones would not be hurt."_

_ "I'm your friend, Bi. What are they? Nothing. They don't care about you, not like I do."_

_ "That would be a lot more believable," Bia gasped through her gritted teeth, "if you weren't nearly breaking my arm."_

_ He loosend his hold on her and lowered her arm from behind her back, but as it hung limp at her side, he kept his hand loosely around her wrist. "I'm sorry, Kitten, I'm just worked up a bit. Everything is happening now. I'm your friend, I'm the one who cares about you." He reached out to caress her cheek with the hand not encircling her wrist._

_ She shied away from his touch, "I'm not falling for your words again. I wan-"_

_He released her wrist, shoving her to the ground in the process, "Well, it was worth a try."_

_ "I wanted to believe you, I wanted you to truly be trying to make things better. This isn't though," she gestured around them, "this won't make anything better not for anyone but the titans themselves. This will be a new 'Golden Age'. What do you think they will do to their demi-god followers when all is said and done? They care nothing for us but as pawns. At least the gods try to care!" she shook her head, "and I listened to you. I believed. I was sucked in."_

_ Andy towered over her as she sat on her knees in the dirt, "So what? Are you blaming me for tricking you because-"_

_ "No, I'm not. I came to you of my own choice. You didn't trick me. I blame myself for being so dumb, so naive, so malleable. I will suffer eternity in the fields of punishment for my treason. I will find away to make as much penance as I can before that, though." She rose as quickly as she could, drawing Flamma, her pugio knowing full well that on her best days she could never take Andy._

_ "My little Kitten's got claws now, huh?" He scoffed at her._

_ "Don't call me that, Andy," unsteadily, Bia braced her feet as she pulled her spatha, Impetus from its sheath. One blade in each hand she faced Andy._

_ "Don't be stupid." He pulled out his gladius, the extra length of the blade overkill since by skill alone he could easily take Bia._

_ "I'm leaving here, I'm leaving you, even if it's only to go to Hades and face my eternity."_

_Dreaming Bia thanked the gods for small blessings as the scene changed again, whoever had decided to send her these dreams didn't deem it necessary for her to watch how Andy soundly beat her. To this day she wasn't sure how she managed to get down the mountain to where she was found. Last thing she remembered was losing consciousness and Andy walking away telling two of the nearby Cyclops to finish her._

_ The next scene was her waking up, on the ground farther down the mountain, surrounded by the shocked and concerned faces of her fellow legionnaires. How much unnecessary trouble and difficulty had they faced because she'd betrayed them? Because she could sense their approach and warn Andy? Because she told Andy of their plans and strategies? Things that he wasn't privy to but with her higher rank she was._

_ Gwenn was kneeling at Bia's side, a hand laid against Bia's brow, "Oh, mellita, we've been so worried for you. Lou has been absolutely beside herself! No, don't get up, I need to atleast start a healing on you," Gwenn turned from Bia, "DB! Bring me some of what's left of the nectar!"_

_ The boy Gwenn had called came into Bia's line of site, "Here, we've barely any left, so."_

_ "I'm just going to give her a sip."_

_ "I've got the others scrounging to see if we've got any ambrosia left."_

_ "Lou will be sending more supplies up soon." Gwenn said absently, holding a spoon to Bia's lips, "Here, this will help." DB walked away, Bia later found out it was to work on more of the many legionnaires in need of healing. "Alright, Bobby is going to carry you over to the infirmary, you'll be right as rain soon." Gwenn laid a soft kiss on Bia's cheek, which just compounded Bia's guilt knowing this girl that considered her a sister could have gone through less trouble and anxiety if it weren't for her._

Others were starting to stir in the tents around Bia as she turned her mind to the last two scenes from her dream. _The first of the two had taken place while she was passed out in the makeshift infirmary tent, it was a heated discussion between Reyna, Jason, Bobby, Gwenn, Dakota and Hazel._

_ "Something isn't right here!" Reyna whispered, they didn't want any of those around them to know the topic of their discussion. "Something was off when she disappeared and something is still off now that she's back."_

_ "Why can't you just be happy that Bi is back?" Hazel glared at Reyna, her face was smudged with dirt, her hair a mess, she was not her usual picture perfect self._

_ "I am happy she's back, but I feel like we're missing something important. What if she was how they knew ever move we were going to make before we made it?"_

_ "So, Andy forced her to tell him!" Hazel crossed her arms, she knew she was losing this argument._

_ "Until we have reason to believe otherwise, we will continue as we've started. Bia is one of us. End of discussion." When Jason spoke in that tone of voice, everyone knew there was no questioning him. He was answered by a round of assents before the scene changed for the final time before Bia woke._

_ Bia had insisted on fighting. She was barely healed enough to stand on her own two feet, and looking back it was stupid and bull headed of her to insist. She'd thought she could help, but now she realized she's fortunate she didn't do more harm than good, in the state she was in physically and emotionally, she was a liability in battle. It was her fault so many people were hurt, so many people had died. Now that she was back where she was supposed to be she was going to do what she could to help. Bia watched as she saw herself fight as best she could. She knew the moment the her in her dream saw Andy and headed for him. He was waiting for her._

_ "You should know," he called as soon as she was within earshot, "I sent Ceto after your mortal family. You're mother had not chance to protect them if she wanted to or not. You couldn't have saved them Ceto said the three children asked for you."_

_ "You're sick." Bia thought of her three sweet, annoying, but sweet little cousins. Moira at 9 wanted to be an astronaut, 3 yearold Fiona wanted to be the pretty lady that rode the horses at the circus, while 5yearold Liam changed his mind everyday from fireman to whatever the latest thing he saw or heard of was. They were too young to die. They were mortal and should have been able to live a long and normal life, and Andy had taken that from them, because of her.  
_

_ "I had to do something dramatic to push you over to my side."_

_ Bia was only a few feet from Andy now, she took all of the pain, anger, and resent me she felt over the revelation that he'd had her family killed and threw it into a wall of pure energy and emotion, it wasn't solid, but it would keep everyone else away for right now. It was an invisible line of feeling that no one would want to cross. "You will pay for everything." She swung at Andy, their fight didn't last long. All she could imagine was that he was over confident or her adrenaline and emotion gave her an edge, maybe one of the gods had decide to give her a hand. Whatever it was, she had somehow bested Andy. She didn't care how. _

Bia pulled out of her reverie as the Schola around her began to wake. This was the dream that had been plaguing her? Why? What did it mean? Were one of the gods simply toying with her? Agitating her? She stood up from her seat on the rock pulling into place a mask she hadn't worn in a long time. She'd do her best not to let on to anyone that something was wrong, very very wrong.

* * *

I hope you enjoyed reading as much as I enjoyed writing! Please comment/review as you feel so moved! They will be leaving the Schola within the next three chapters, at the latest. My very rough outline is flexible. I flipped flopped on whether to go this direction or another, as you see, I went this one. I hope your still with me! lol

Thanks!  
Miette


	13. Serious Conversations

Thanks to Shoshon79, Newbiegod35, and Poseidon93 for your reviews and encouragement! Thanks to everyone that favorited and alerted me and this story after the last chappie! Please, read, enjoy, review, question, and comment!

Enjoy!  
Miette

**Disclaimer** I own nothing that you recognize as Rick Riordan's intellectual property.

* * *

"I'm just saying, Gwen, I don't love this." Reyna stood beside the blonde, her arms crossed.

"Sean! Keep your elbow up more! There ya go!" Gwen was watching some of her younger siblings in archery practice, "Rey, I think you may be worrying a bit too much."

"She's closing off. Go talk to her, you can see it in her eyes, in her face."

"She seemed fine last night. Diona! Are you aiming for your target or Sheila's? Come on girl! Focus!"

"Even last night, it seemed like something was up, but today she's worse, go talk to her, see if I'm wrong. She's walking around with a short temper and her fake smile on. You know the one she gets when she's trying to act like nothing's bothering her but it is. If you and Kota go talk to her and think I'm completely paranoid, ok. I'm worried, though. You remember last time she closed off when something was going on? She went and-"

"And nothing. You've no proof for what you were about to say!" Gwen grabbed Reyna's arm and pulled her farther away from the archers. "Don't go talking out of turn about things like _that_."

"And we never got any proof that that wasn't what happened! Come on Gwen! I'm just saying. That whole situation is still a bit sketchy, if you ask me. It was never resolved to my satisfaction. I know you had your own questions about that that didn't get answered."

"Either way, it's over and done. It's a little late and odd timing otherwise to be bringing that up. Besides, you seem real comfortable around her for someone you suspect of being a traitor."

"I don't know. I just don't want a repeat."

"Do you have any legitimate reason for thinking there will be one?"

"Just a feeling. All I'm asking is that you come talk to her with me. It's some of the same reasons as before, they were sound enough to raise your suspicions then."

"Alright, just talking. Then, we'll see."

"Thank you. You'll be done here in-?"

"15 minutes, I'll meet you at the Nidus in 15. Don't say anything to anyone else for right now."

"Of course. You know it's because I care about her, right? I'm worried for her, and the rest of us, too. I'm worried for everyone that's supposed to go on Monday, whether I'm the last or Bobby is. I am worried for her, though. She's like my sister as much as she is to you or you are to me. You know as well as I do that it's all part of her-"

"Fatal flaw, yes, I know. I know you care, too. I didn't think you were just attacking her. 15 minutes. I'll see you."

Reyna gave Gwen a small smile and ran off, her smile widened as she heard behind her, "Seriously Diona? If it weren't for your singing and guitar I'd swear you were misplaced!" Reyna felt bad that it was her suspicions that had put Gwen in a bad mood, causing her to be extra hard on Diona, but the girl was the black sheep among her brothers and sisters when it came to archery.

* * *

"Diis gratias!" Lou stepped out of the Nidus and startled the three older girls standing outside of it with their heads together.

"What's up, Alouette?" Dakota tried not to act as though they were hiding something.

"Something is wrong with Bia, I was just going to come find you guys."

"See?" Reyna glared at Gwen and Kota.

"What?" Lou looked confused between the other three girls.

"Rey came to me just a little bit ago worried about Bia, we were going to go talk to her."

"Well," Lou looked around, "Come on. You probably don't want to talk to her at the moment if you value your life, or your hearing. She's been yelling half the morning." The other three followed her to the same boulder on which Bia had sat hours earlier in the first light of that morning. As they settled into seats, Lou began to tell them about Bia's unlike her behavior. "She's been anxious since she came back from the Greek Camp, she told me she'd been having awful dreams, but she couldn't remember a thing about them when she woke up. She just woke up really really upset."

"That's odd she couldn't remember the dream," Kota said thoughtfully.

"I know, I think that's part of what upset her, but also the dreams themselves, whatever was happening in them was really upsetting her. Last night when she came in, I'd fallen asleep with the terrors and Josephine and Ant, I'd been reading to them. Anyway, they woke up when Bia came in and she was talking to the kids about the book. I-" Lou took a deep breath, she was getting ready to almost admit that she thought her own sister had been a traitor. "The book I was reading was one she'd started reading to them before she left, it's the second book in her favorite series."

"Narnia." All three girls smiled remembering how much Bia loved the books. They were pretty sure that she would go live in Narnia if she could.

"Right," Lou was glad she wasn't going to have to go into too much explanation, this was tough enough. "Do you remember The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe? Edmond Pevensie?"

"Yes, he's the youngest boy, right?" Rey asked, at little confused.

"He's the one who betrays them all to the White Witch," Gwen's words came out as soft rush.

"We got to the part in book last night where Edmond was rescued from the White Witch, and the kids have very definite, negative opinions on Ed. They were talking to Bia about it, and she seemed very, I don't know, not happy with how they felt about it. After they left she wouldn't talk to me, she just sort of sat quiet for a few minutes then went to bed. I heard her wake up real early this morning, I was still half asleep, it was crazy early, she must have gone for a walk or something, she came back, and she's had her mask on ever since. Something is wrong, I don't know what, but it's something."

"Lou," Dakota took a slow breath scripting her next few words, "I know you love Bia, we all do, do you think there is any way or any reason she would have gone with Andy of her own free will? She wasn't kidnapped like everyone thought?"

Lou bit her lip, the action almost the same as her sister. Briefly she fought within herself over if she should lie to the three officers, but that side of her lost, she'd already started this planning to tell them what she feared. She nodded, unable to actually form the one word to answer their question and possibly condemn her sister.

"I told you," Reyna said quietly, she didn't seem too pleased to have been right.

"I'm sure she would have had a reason, though!" Lou hastily said, "and-and she came back! That counts for something. She helped in the end."

"Of course, honey," Gwen put a comforting arm around the young daughter of Vesta, glaring at Reyna. "Of course it counts for something. We will figure out what's going on with Bia and what happened during the war."

"Are any of the kids at the Nidus?" Dakota asked, rising from her seat.

"Umm, a few," Lou dashed a few tears hastily from her eyes, "Bia was going over declensions with some of the kids."

"Alright, why don't you grab them, and we're going to go talk to Bia, ok?" Dakota tried to smile reassuringly at Lou, "everything will be fine."

* * *

"The girls are up to something." Bobby stepped onto the Argo II where Jason, Leo and Piper were expending anxious energy by going over the ship yet again. Leo was happy for the excuse to show off for Hazel who had joined them.

"What makes you say that?" Jason took in the look on Bobby's face and quickly recanted his question, "Ok, the girls are up to something. What?"

"I'm not sure," Bobby came to lean against the rail where Jason and Piper were standing. "Rey was really quiet, worried about something when we went back to our tent last night. She, Gwen, and Kota have had their heads together on and off all morning."

"Hazel!" Jason turned to where the daughter of Venus was looking at something on the ship that Leo was animatedly explaining to her.

"I didn't do it and I don't know anything about it!" She called absently over her shoulder.

"I didn't accuse you of anything or ask you anything yet."

"Lutum! Umm, I was just covering my basis."

"Hazel-?"

With a sigh and a glance at Leo and Piper, she dropped into Latin, speaking rapidly, "Rey is worried about Bia, she's suspicious about something. Bia _has_ been really odd today. You know that look and attitude she gets when she's trying to act like nothing's wrong? She's been walking around like that all morning. I heard she even yelled at a couple of the Nati today. You know she _never_ does that. Yell at one of us? Sure when she's in a bad mood, but no matter how frustrating they get, I've never heard her yell at one of the Nati."

Jason played with the coin that was the portable form of his weapon as he considered what Hazel was saying. He ignored the curious looks of Piper and Leo, not understanding the Latin words Hazel spoke.

"Would that something have anything to do with the alternative theory about that thing that happened a few months ago?" Even speaking in Latin, Jason kept his words cryptic in case anyone from the Schola walked up at an inopportune moment.

"Yes." Bobby frowned as he spoke, not happy with all of this potential drama and stress. The last thing they needed with a new quest and enemy in front of them was to revisit that past, recent past though it was, that was supposedly over and done. Too bad demigod life was never that simple.

* * *

Bia stormed around the tent, muttering under her breath as she rearranged stuff, fighting the urge to toss it around. She hated this feeling, this out of control feeling. The truth that everyone knew but barely spoke was that Bia could deal with any problem with any other person, but she could not handle one drop of any stress of her own. It was a big part of why she helped, and fixed, and fiddled with everyone around her. She could help other people, handle things she could help and fix, and she could box up and lock away her own stuff. Until it boiled over. She was glad when Lou came back from her brief disappearance and insisted on taking the rest of the Nati and leaving Bia to her own devices. She'd been short tempered with the children all morning, even snapping at a few of them and felt guilty. Though, now that she was alone, she had no choice but to think of what was causing her stress. How could she admit to her friends the truth of what she'd done during the Titan War? Even if they understood and forgave her, they would never trust her again, rightfully so. If she was going to tell them she should have admitted it at the time, and she simply wasn't that courageous. The kids were right last night, even though they were discussing a fictional character at the time, what they said applied to her, too. There should be no forgiveness for treachery like she'd committed. With a frustrated cry she chucked the pillow in her hands across the Nidus.

"What did that poor pillow ever do to you?" Gwen smiled as she walked in, flanked by Dakota and Reyna.

"Don't you guys have things to be doing?" Some part of Bia felt a little guilty for snapping at her friends, but not that guilty at the moment.

"Yes, right now, that is talking to our friend that has done a 180 from the good mood she was in to acting like I don't even know what." Dakota sat on the floor, folding her legs to either side of her, "come sit." She patted a spot on the floor next to her, as the other two girls sat in chairs near her.

"I've got stuff to do, I don't feel like sitting and talking."

"Sit. Down. Bia." Reyna made each word its own sentence, ignoring the glare she was receiving from Gwen, as she gave Bia a glare of her own.

Bia looked between the other three girls, usually it wasn't in her nature to argue, but when her temper got the best of her, it well and truly did. Right now, her temper was rather raw. "I have nothing to talk to you guys about!" Bia shouted at her friends.

"Really? We just had a really interesting conversation with Lou." Gwen spoke quietly, not rising to her feet. "Are you sure you don't have anything to discuss with us? She was really concerned, something about dreams you've been having and the possibility that Andy didn't actually capture you during the war."

Bia looked at the three girls, opening and closing her mouth a few times as her face quickly went from pale white through several shades of red and back to a pale unhealthy white. "Get Out!" She shouted at her friends, feeling something inside of her crumbling, "Outoutout!"

* * *

The three children hiding behind the Nidus looked at eachother, very unhappy. Bia had told them that if they kept listening to conversations not ment for their ears, one of these days they would hear something they didn't like, they hadn't known how right she would be.

"Bia did an Edmond?" Kiki asked quietly looking between her brother and her friend.

"Sounds like it." Drew replied equally quietly, the look on his face showed that he didn't quite believe it.

Mica didn't say anything, her mind racing, there had to be an explanation. The three Nati had never liked Andy, even before Bia got sad, before he left, before everyone knew of his part in the Titan War. To think that Bia had gone to help him was unbelievable. Sometimes he would act like he was the only person who cared about Bia, like he was trying to make her feel like her other friends didn't care or love her, Mica didn't think that was very good thing for someone that really cared to do, but sometimes she didn't get the older people, especially the boys. "We'll figure it out." She grabbed her two friends' hands, "come-on."

"Where are we going?"

"What are we doing?" The twins spoke in unison.

"Just come-on, we need a new friend."

* * *

I hope you enjoyed! I can't wait to hear what you think!

Thanks!  
Miette


	14. Kissing Friends and Talking Friends?

A/N Hi everyone, sorry for the long time! About two weeks give or take, I think? I hope I have some people still sticking around because I really enjoy writing this story and I enjoy your feed back. While I write it at least 50% for myself, I also write for the pride I get when I know people are enjoying it and your enjoyment. Some flames and negative opinions I may brush away because, as I said, I write what I want for my enjoyment, but I do appreciate opinions and constructive criticism

Some of this chappie was written while I was being a bad cliche. I was annoyed at my BF so I spent the evening with a bottle of whiskey and my compie last weekend. In other news, what have Percy and Annabeth been up to? They're back! Briefly.

Quick comments.

greekosisnotgeekos- Thank you for your point. I want to try not to take too many liberties with the cannon, mythology, and reality, so I appreciate your input. That said, yes, I am aware that Vesta is a maiden goddess which is one HUGE reason that I adore the fact that Rick Riordan set the precedence in the series for a maiden goddess to have children without having physical or carnal relations with a mortal male. ::cough,cough, Athena and her cabin full of children:: I had one initial explanation in a conversation between Nico and Bia which was crap, I've changed it, I'll have to check to see if I fixed the chapter on here to reflect the change. For the sake of this story, Vesta only has children every few generations out of respect for her Vestal Virgins. However, when she does have a child with a mortal man, it is a child born of emotion, usually strong familial love, and literal fire. The child appears in the hearth/fireplace of the house.

In regards to Bia, I need to work on how she is coming through in the story. In my characterization of her, I imagine her as a jumbled up combination of Marianne Dashwood from Sense and Sensibility and a dear friend of mine when she was battling with depression, and of course, herself. I see her as not so much being popular and well liked by everyone, though I see why it seems that way, when it truly is only that the only people who have been involved in the story and with her happen to be people who do like her. However, I sort of see her as the quite, sweet, goodhearted seeming person that everyone likes well enough because she makes them feel good about themselves and they don't know here well enough not to like her. It's not so much that they like her as they like her well enough and don't know enough not to. They care when they need her.

I also need to work on the kids, I'm having trouble not making them too old or too young seeming. Well, I adore them, though. It was unintentional, but I realized they remind me of my nieces and nephews.

Ok, soo, I know where this is going, this is just a tough bit for me to get through to get there. Almost through, though! Please enjoy and I'm confident there won't be such a delay for the next bit. Ok, now I must go, I just wanted to get this up before I go watch ALICE IN WONDERLAND with my Daddy!

Thank you for reading my work!  
Miette

**Disclaimer** I do not own PJO

* * *

Mica met back up with the twins where she'd left them before entering the Minerva tent.

"Where did you get that?" Drew asked, his eyes wide at the golden aureus in her hand.

"Erik."

Kiki giggled, "Erik from Mercury gave you an aureus?"

"I thought you couldn't stand him," the look on Drew's face was decidedly sullen as he looked between the giggling Kiki and the flushed Mica.

"Shush! Come-on, now we need to find Bia's friends name."

Drew rolled his eyes, but followed the two girls, thinking how annoying Erik, son of Mercury was. Why was he giving Mica presents, anyway?

* * *

"I'm going to kill her!" Reyna stormed away from the Nidus, Gwen and Dakota following quickly behind her, hoping to keep her from making too much of a scene.

"Reyna," Gwen began, reaching for her friend. Coming from Reyna, she could mean that literally.

"Seriously! How are we supposed to understand what's going on or help or _trust_ her if we can't talk to her!"

"She's stressed and upset,"

"Yea," Reyna turned to Dakota, cutting her off, "wouldn't you be too, if you'd betrayed your people, people that counted you friend and family and thought they could rely on you in a fight, and they found out?"

Dakota didn't say anything, she and Gwen exchanged a look. Things were looking very bad for Bia. There had to be some sort of explanation, but was it good enough, whatever it was?

"If we can't trust her," Reyna had finally lowered her voice, "she can't go on Monday. Saturday is halfway done. How can we send a girl that betrayed us on a quest in less than 48 hours? Especially such an important quest?"

Neither of the other girls could argue with her. They were each lost in their own jumbled, unhappy thoughts and didn't notice that Bobby had joined them.

"Jason wants us in the clearing." The girls all jumped at Bobby's words.

"Geez, Bobby, sneak around much?" Reyna hit her brother with a fist that probably would have knocked down a non child of Mars.

"I was standing here for a few minutes; you guys just weren't paying attention."

"Whatever," his sister replied.

"Come-on, Jason is already there with the Greeks," Bobby said the last word like it put a sour taste in his mouth.

"Why? He's not letting them know about," Gwen waved an arm at the Nidus were Bia was still hiding out, "this?"

Bobby just shrugged. While the girls didn't quite share his distrust, they also didn't want their dirty laundry aired with these people they'd only just met, and well there was some gray area between distrust and trust.

"Well," Dakota said slowly, trying to be open minded, "I suppose if they're supposed to be going on this quest with her they have some right to know."

Reyna simply snorted before turning and walking into the woods.

* * *

Mica looked around the camp, scanning and quickly overlooking the familiar faces she'd grown up with.

"Mica, who are we looking for?"

Mica didn't respond, just began walking as quickly as her 8 year old legs could carry her, the twins hurrying after her. When she'd spoken to them at breakfast, Percy and Annabeth had said they were going to walk around the camp, Annabeth was really excited and interested about learning about the similarities and differences between the Schola and Camp Half-Blood and the Greek and Roman Gods and cultures first hand. She hadn't realized until she and Jason had spoken to Clovis when Jason first arrived at camp how different the Greek and Roman deities could be. Mica figured this meant they would likely seek out some of the children of Minerva, but no one had been in the tent when she'd gone to grab her precious aureus. She wasn't sure where old couples, she internally cringed at the thought, would go to be alone. She didn't understand why the olds girls liked boys _that way_.

"What's with the crowd over there?" Kiki shaded her eyes and looked toward the water. Gathered on the plateau high above the beach was indeed a large crowd. As the three children got closer, they heard the familiar sounds of a fight.

With Drew pushing through, the three children used their smaller size to fit through the crowd ringing the fighting pair.

"You've gotten smug again, Seaweed Brain!" Annabeth taunted from her crouch a few feet in front of Percy, hastily wiping a few strands of hair that had escaped her ponytail with one hand while her other hand clutched her knife.

"Come a little closer and say that, Wise Girl!"

She laughed and quickly closed the distance between them, her knife flashing quickly. Based on the couples flushed and sweaty faces, the duel had been going on for a little bit. The two went back and forth, their fighting style slightly different from that which was studied at the Schola. Mica glanced at the faces around her, curious as to the reactions of her fellow Romans. Since the Greeks had arrived yesterday evening, the officers had been pretty much doing their best to insulate them from the rest of the camp. There were all sorts of mixed feelings among the Romans in regards to the presence of the Greeks and working with them, the one that was common to some degree among all of the older Romans was distrust. However, at the moment, everyone watching the fight between Annabeth and Percy seemed only curious, impressed, or entertained. Suddenly the sparing match seemed to end in a draw as, laughing, Percy grabbed Annabeth around the waist and drew her into a tight embrace. She leaned up to kiss him before she realized Riptides point laid at her throat.

"This scary smart daughter of Athena once told me to never let your enemy distract you, no matter what."

She looked up at Percy, unfazed, "Really, Seaweed Brain?" She wrapped her arms around his waist, lacing her fingers together at the small of his back.

With a shiver, Percy lowered Riptide and pressed his lips to Annabeth's.

As the crowd around the smiling couple dispersed, Mica, Drew, and Kiki walked over to them, waiting for them to stop being gross. After a minute, the couple noticed their audience.

"Hey guys." Annabeth smiled at the kids she'd met earlier that day.

"Will you two help us we something?" Mica asked shyly, she was rather in awe of Annabeth after all of the stories Percy told about her once he'd regained most of his memories.

"Of course," Percy said as the five of them began walking back towards the main area of the Schola.

"There you guys are!" Hazel ran up to the small group, "Will you two come with me? We're having a bit of a meeting."

Annabeth took in Hazel's flushed face and the urgency in her eyes, "Of course. I'm sorry guys. Can we help you when we're done with the meeting?"

The three children looked at each other, not sure they could say no. Mica did not want to explain her plan in front of Hazel and didn't think she could say that without raising suspicion.

"Thanks guys," Percy took their silence as a yes, "we'll come find you guys as soon as we're free."

Annabeth threw an apologetic look over her shoulder as she and Percy hurried to follow Hazel into the woods.

"The olds always think their stuff is more important than ours." Kiki sighed kicking a clump of grass

"Well, what was the plan, anyway? Did I miss it?" Drew asked.

Kiki rolled her eyes at her brother, though she didn't mention that if Mica had explained 'their plan' she too had missed it.

"We need someone Bia will talk to. We need to IM her new friend, but we don't know his name or the name of the Greek place."

"Isn't he a kissing type of friend?"

"Bia has friends here, why do we need him?"

Mica held up her hand as she silenced the twins speaking over each other. She was so used to their antics that she could actually make out what each was saying even though they spoke over each other. "Kiki, maybe he's a kissing friend, but the olds were making such a big deal about her new friend, I think she'll talk to him. Drew, of all of her 'friends' here who is she going to talk to? What has happened the few times that we've seen Bia upset?"

Drew thought for a moment before his face lit up, "We get to stay up late and eat loads of cookies and chocolate and stuff!"

Mica fought the urge to smack him, "Well, yes, that's true, but that's not the point." What she didn't add was that she wouldn't be disappointed if Bia decided to make her chocolate cake before they managed to find away to make her not upset.

Drew frowned, realizing what Mica was getting at, "Everyone talks to Bi when something is wrong, doesn't she talk to any of the olds when she's sad? Gwen and Dakota and Reyna tried to talk to her today."

"I don't think so." Mica replied sadly thinking with all of their sneaking they would have noticed if Bia talked to anyone the few times she got upset.

"Maybe we can ask Bia to make us a dessert when she stops being sad." Kiki said, deciding that the best outcome would be their caretaker being happy and them still getting some sort of a sweet treat.

* * *

Bia's eyes were huge as she watched Reyna, Gwen, and Kota leave the Nidus. She put a hand over her mouth as she sat heavily. Did that _really_ come out of her? She couldn't believe herself! Yelling and losing her temper like that. It wasn't like her. Sure, she had a temper, but that? That was beyond any outburst she'd ever had. They were only trying to help, trying to sort things out. Glancing around, Bia was sad that Lou had all of the Nati involved in one activity or another across the camp, at least the children would serve as a distraction and something to ease her heart. Though, she was glad none of them had been present to witness her explosion. What would they have thought? Especially, what would they think knowing she'd betrayed them all? That she could truly be held accountable for at least some of the injuries and deaths among their older brothers and sisters.

Bia roughly shook her head back and forth. She gained much of herself from her mother's influence. The main reason she was so well liked, even though she was so unsuited to this rough, Roman way of life, was an aspect of her mother's influence over her. People didn't like Bia, they didn't know Bia. They liked the way she was able to make them feel, just as Andy had wanted to use her to keep the Titan army calm and content. Part of her mother in her was her ability to calm people's emotions, her ability to help people through their problems and stresses. This was her gift, and sometimes she couldn't stand it, such as now, when she contrasted it with her inability to deal with her own problems. She was mamma, she was the one everyone went to, but she had no one to go to herself.

'Stupid,' the voice in her mind sounded an awful lot like Lou, 'You could have talked to the girls, they wanted to help, they would have listened. They care about _you_. Not who you are or what you do, and you kicked out without so much as the time of day!'

Again Bia gave her head a rough shake, it wasn't so simple as that. Yes, she acknowledged what she'd been unable to before, perhaps she had a few people she could talk to her if she could bring herself to do it. Even those few didn't know her so well as they thought, though, evidenced by the fact that they still had no idea that she'd lost her mortal family, hadn't known that she'd gone over to the Titans, and had no idea why. This, however, didn't seem the time or situation to exercise her ability, or inability as it were, to talk to people about her problems and emotions.

Why was this coming up now? There were other things to worry about without her having to deal with her past sins right at this moment. What was she supposed to say?

'Hey, Rey, Kota, Gwen, I'm sorry I couldn't talk to you earlier. I decided I'm going to work on talking to people when I'm upset, so here goes. I know we've got a lot going on, still dealing with the war now that it's finally over, the whole Jason/Percy getting switched thing this whole Gaea and the giants thing, working with the Greeks, how weird is all of this? I'm stressed, how are you doing? Yup, it's looking like we're all going to have to do our part to protect the world as we know it _again._ Speaking of, funny thing. Remember the last time we were busy stressing and fighting to protect the world? Well, see my mortal family, the whole lot of them, were inexplicably attacked and killed. Awful, I know. Thanks for your condolences, yes, I should have told you when it happened. Well, I sort of blamed my mom and the gods, I know, not terribly logical _or_ daughter of Vesta-esque. There, it is though. I told Andy because I was totally heartbroken. That's when I found out he was secretly working with the Titans. That's when I decided I was going to, too. Somehow, at the time it made sense. Somehow, my helping the Titans was actually going to protect and help you all. I couldn't bear you all being hurt after having just lost my other family. Yea, I know. That makes zero sense looking back now, but hindsight is 20/20, I suppose. That's truly what I thought at the time, though. Then, of course, I realized his line about being able to protect you all and keep you safe by helping Kronos was crap, then I found out that _Andy_ had had my family attacked so he could use my emotional distress to push me to the Titan side. Crazy, right? So, the person I choose to go to instead of the friends who had been there for me is the person that caused my pain. Anyway, that's when I tried to come back, and I helped in the end. Now, we're saving the world again and there is this big huge quest I'm supposed to be going on. Nice talk guys thanks. What? You can't trust me anymore and I can't go on the quest, what?'

Bia rolled her eyes at her long, crazy internal monologue. Yes, that's probably about how the conversation would go. Not that she could blame anyone. She should have come clean in the first place. They may have understood to some extent then. Everything was so crazy back then. Especially after the scene today though, what would happen.

"You've really gone and done it now, haven't you?" Lou walked into the Nidus, alone, interrupting her sisters reverie.

"You sicked them on me?"

"I did not sic anyone on anyone. Besides, I don't think they work that way." Lou wrapped her arms around her sister. "I'm worried, they worried. About you, about all of us. Under normal circumstances, you need to learn to open up. Now, what the heck is going on Bia?"

Bia turned into her sisters shoulder and cried and cried and cried. She let go of tears and feelings that she'd been holding for far too long.

* * *

Enjoy! I've a promise to myself, two more chaps by the end of the week!

Miette


	15. Explanations?  Wellsome

A/N Hi guys! Thankies to Newbiegod35, Poseidon93, ., and Hanna Burkhardt for your reviews! Special thank you to Hanna for pointing out a HUGE continuity error I made against the cannon! :-( As others of you may have noticed, when Bobby went to talk to Jason on the Argo II, I had Jason playing with Ivlivs, his coin/sword/spear. Which had been destroyed in the fight against Enceladus on Mount Diablo. I'm going to address that within the story, not in this chap, but I will. I can't believe I forgot about that! The funny thing is, the only reason I even wrote in the little bit about Ivlivs was because I was sitting here like "I miss Jason's coin...". Well, the Roman hero needs a kick butt weapon, soo...I'll cover that error. Thanks again, Hanna!

Ok, here you guys go! I hope you're still enjoying as much as I am. This story has a clear end in sight (not too soon, though Newbiegod35!) But I've got several ideas for more PJO verse stories rolling around in my head, including two within Heroes of Olympus, one would be what happens after this story comes to a close and one would be before this story, following Percy at the Schola. We'll see. What do you guys think? Would you read?

Please enjoy!  
Miette

**Disclaimer** I do not own that which is rightfully the intellectual property of Rick Riordan**

* * *

"Hey," Percy said as he and Annabeth reached the clearing right behind Hazel. With the three of them, everyone from Camp Half-Blood and the Roman officers were present, almost. "Are we just waiting on Bi?"

"Actually," Gwen fidgeted with the strap of her quiver across her chest, "she's not coming, we have to talk about something to do with her."

Reyna snorted and looked over the Greeks with the glare they'd become accustom to receiving from her brother. He on the other hand had an arm around Dakota and seemed to be whispering something to her, comforting her.

"Bia?" Piper looked around concerned, "What's wrong with her?" her eyes moved to Bobby, "that's what you were talking about when you came to the Argo II. Something's wrong with Bia?"

"Well, this is really crazy timing, but, well," Gwen looked down, taking a breath to compose herself, "It seems some suspicions of ours from during the Titanomachy-"

"Titanomachy?" Percy quietly asked Annabeth.

"Titan War."

"Oh. Why don't they just say that?"

"Hush, Seaweed Brain."

Gwen smiled, actually happy for the amusing interruption that eased the tense mood a bit.

"It seems Bia betrayed us all during the war." Jason finished for Gwen.

"What?" Piper looked at Jason, perplexed.

"No," Annabeth said quietly, "you told us that story, when she first started hanging out with Nico, about the guy she'd been hanging out with and how he was working with Kronos. He left and broke her heart, she wanted to go…Oh." Annabeth bit her lip, putting the pieces together.

"Wait," Leo interrupted, "Bia was hanging out with Nico?"

"Seriously, Valdez?" Piper turned to Leo, even more perplexed.

"What? I missed it."

"Evidently! We've even discussed it since we left Camp! Since we got here!" She leaned over and smacked Leo's arm lightly.

"Oh. So I guess my defense can't be that I was in Bunker 9 most of the time between Bia arriving and us leaving?"

"No," Annabeth said with finality, putting an end to Leo and Pipers pointless argument. At least it had succeeded in making the small almost invisible smiles that had developed on the Roman's faces during her and Percy's discussion a little bigger.

"That doesn't sound like Bia." Percy said quietly. He'd become fond of the passionate girl, she was sweet, she could make a person feel calm and good just by standing near them. Something he took advantage of when he first arrived at the Schola not knowing anyone or even himself.

Annabeth turned to Percy, "Could it be like a Silena thing?" She asked him in quiet Greek.

"I don't know." Percy responded, also in Greek, "I would think that if she did go over to the Titan's she would have had a specific reason," he ran his hand through his messy black hair, "then just coming back because she thought they were going to lose or something? That doesn't seem like her."

Jason looked at Piper who just shrugged, "I understand them, but I don't know what they're talking about." She replied to his silent question in English.

"Wait," Leo looked at Annabeth and Percy, "You mean Silena like Silena and Beckendorf? Jake told me about them."

"Yea," Percy replied.

"Wait, now I think that's a story you guys told me at some point." Jason said, thinking. "Aren't they heroes from the war?"

"Yes." Annabeth squeezed Percy's hand. There was a part of him that still felt responsible for their deaths. Beckendorf's especially.

"Charles Beckendorf was a son of Hephaestus. Silena Beauregard was a daughter of Aphrodite. They were two of the greatest people at camp. Beckendorf could make anything out of anything. Silena was the best equestrian at Camp and just good and open to everyone. They'd been dating for awhile, in love with each other for even longer. They were going to college that fall. They'd both known Luke, the guy who served as Kronos's host, before he left Camp. Long story short, Luke told Silena that if she spied for him, he would make sure Beckendorf and her siblings survived the war. He convinced her she'd be saving lives by making in unnecessary for the Titan army to fight campers. He was already completely turned by then, but she believed him, wishful thinking maybe, hoping there was still some of the old Luke left, hoping Beckendorf would be ok. She'd had a crush on him before she met Beckendorf, he used that against her." Here, Percy glanced at Annabeth who was staring into the trees, as if watching a scene all over again.

"Beckendorf died on the mission to blow up the Princess Andromeda," Annabeth picked up the story from Percy, he was telling it wrong. "He and Percy did manage to blow up Luke's demon cruise ship, though. At the final battle in Manhattan, she led the Aphrodite cabin in battle along side of us, but we needed more. Ares Cabin wasn't fighting with us," Annabeth began to go into that story, but Percy cut her off.

"That's awholenother story, Wise Girl. Ares Cabin wasn't fighting with us, Clarisse, Leader of Ares was Silena's best friend, so Silena thought she could convince Clarisse and her siblings to come. Silena went back to Camp, but what we didn't know was that she didn't manage to convince Clarisse. Since she couldn't get Clarisse to lead her cabin, Silena took Clarisse's armor and spear, and somehow tricked the cabin into thinking she was Clarisse and led them into battle. Somehow, we all thought she was Clarisse, looking back I don't know how. Silena was killed by a Lydian Drakon that was destined to be killed by a child of Ares. Then Clarisse, who had followed, lost her temper and killed it. Silena is in Elysium with Beckendorf. They're talking about trying for the Isles of the Blest."

When Percy and Annabeth finished their story everyone was sitting, having sat while listening. Piper and Hazel were dashing tears for their lost sister and her boyfriend, Gwen and Dakota looked like they were close to tears as well. No one looked particularly happy after hearing the heartbreaking story.

"So, you think Andy said or did something with Bia, like Luke did with Silena? Played on her emotions and sort of, tricked her?" Dakota's voice was quiet as she spoke.

"Even if he did, she still betrayed us. She's still a traitor!" Reyna growled, punching the ground.

"Silena died a hero," Piper glared at Reyna. "Jason told us how when you guys found Bia she insisted on fighting even though she wasn't healed and she _killed_ Andy. Doesn't that count for anything?"

Reyna didn't respond.

"What about how many deaths and injuries could have been avoided if she didn't go to help Andy?" Gwen asked quietly.

"We'll never know." Jason sighed he didn't know for sure what to think. It didn't seem like Bia to just go over to the enemy, and even less so to do that and try to come back as if nothing happened. "Why didn't she tell us when she first came back? It would have been better to just come clean then. How did you guys figure it out for sure now? Why now?"

There was a dance of light around the clearing, like light reflecting off of metal as Alouette, who had been listening in hidden in the trees stepped into the clearing. "I told them something wrong was going on with Bia." Lou stepped carefully over the branch and leaf strewn ground, her bronze leg appearing stiff. "Though, I got the impression you three were suspicious of something before I talked to you." Lou turned to Jason and bowed shallowly, "I'm sorry, Legatus legionis for interrupting and coming uninvited, but I knew you were discussing Bia and I'm worried and thought I could perhaps offer insight."

"Of course, Lou. It's fine." He helped the girl to sit between him and Dakota who still had Bobby close beside her. "What's been going on that you were concerned?"

"Well, Bia was a bit strange yesterday when I spoke to her briefly. Then last night when she came back to the Nidus, I and a few of the nati had fallen asleep while I was reading to them…" Lou quickly recounted the story she had earlier told the three girls of Bia's discussion with the children of Edmund's traitorous acts in _The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe_. "She definitely had some sort of nightmare last night as well and was up and out very early this morning, like she'd gone for a walk. That wouldn't have seemed odd if it weren't for last night and her being so moody as well. Then, I found Gwen, Dakota, and Reyna and they already seemed to think something was up."

"Di immortals!" Annabeth smacked her palm to her forehead, everyone looking at her, "Bia had been having some sort of dreams for a bit while we were still at Camp, Rachel and I talked to her about it, but she truly couldn't remember any of it when she woke. I should have had her talk to Clovis! I can't believe I didn't think of it before. Clovis is a son of Morpheus. He's very good with dreams."

"It probably wouldn't have changed anything," Leo said looking around at the others for agreement.

"Alright, so you guys talked to Lou then went to talk to Bia?"

"Yes," Reyna said, "I had a feeling something was off, and I'm not sure why, but the suspicions we had before about Bia's disappearance being odd had come back. So, I bugged the other two into coming with me to talk to her."

"We tried to, but she was a wreck, she wouldn't even talk to us! Lost her temper like I've never seen," Gwen shook her head sadly.

"She confirmed our suspicions, though." Dakota looked at the ground as she spoke, as though she wished she could go hide in her father's domain at the moment.

"Lou," Percy belatedly glanced at Jason before he continued speaking, "do you know of any reason Bia would have been pushed to go over to the Titans? Anything she was upset about at the time or anything that happened? Anything Andy could have used to push her emotionally."

Lou nodded, pulling three pictures from her long sleeve, and leaning across to hand it to Percy. "The McCarthy's, Bibi's mortal family."

Percy looked down at the picture that showed Bia at a backyard swimming pool, being 'attacked' by three young redheaded freckle faced kids, the oldest of which couldn't have been over the age of five when the picture was taken. He passed the picture to Annabeth as Lou handed another picture of Bia hugging her father to Dakota and one of Bia in a kitchen, apparently preparing food for some sort of party with three woman around their mid 30's she handed to Jason.

Lou pointed to the first picture, now in Piper's hand, "Her cousins, Moira, Fiona, and Liam. She was so in love with those kids." She turned to the picture Jason had Passed to Gwen, "Her father, and the last picture is her and her aunts cooking last time she went home for the school year, Thanksgiving, I think. All dead. Killed by Ceto. She just told me before I came over here. She'd found out about a week before Andy left. She was upset, she was looking for someone to blame. She felt responsible, just as she still feels responsible for my leg." Lou rubbed the false, bronze leg. "She wanted to believe, Andy convinced her everything was the gods a fault and that if she joined the Titans with him, she could make sure that we all," she gestured to herself and the Roman officers around her, "and the Nati would be ok. He convinced it was for the greater good. She quickly realized it was a load of crap, she started agitating and stressing the emotions of the Titan army. She and Andy fought because she'd woken up to the truth, she escaped, and that's when you guys found her on the mountain. When she fought with you guys and killed Andy, he admitted that he'd had Ceto attack her family so she would be emotionally unstable and he could manipulate her. We all know, Bia's great with emotions, as long as they're not her own. If it's her emotions, all bets are off."

"That explains everything." Hazel had remained mostly silent; remember how she'd defended Bia when this all first happened. Hazel glanced around the circle, trying to read each face to see how everyone was taking this. She knew in her heart that whatever had happened, whatever was going to happen Bia was her same friend, she hoped.

"Why didn't she tell us about her family?" Bobby asked, "Ok," he said acknowledging that strange looks he was getting from everyone, "Why didn't she tell _you girls_ about her family?"

"Why doesn't she ever talk when she's upset or something's wrong? It's Bia. She self medicates by exhausting herself with the kids and eating every bit of sweet she can get her hands on or make." Dakota replied, realizing they may not have been living up to the title of 'friend' for Bia. Not that that excused treachery.

"We've always just let her, and let it go. No one really pays attention if she disappears into the Nidus, even for a few days unless they need her." Hazel picked up a leaf and began playing with it.

Annabeth tried to smile reassuringly at the girls who all looked sad and guilty; beating themselves up now wasn't going to change what had already happened. Besides, if someone didn't seek out or accept help, you couldn't force it on them. Annabeth had learned that. Leo, Piper, and Percy all remained quiet and pretended to not be there, they were glad to be included in the meeting, they'd grown to like Bia and were concerned about how this would affect the quest, but this part of the issues the Roman's had to sort out for themselves.

"I still say betrayal is betrayal. How can we trust her to go on this quest?" Reyna looked at her tight lipped brother for support.

* * *

Nico ran across the beach, kicking up sand. "Something is wrong with Bia," he said breathlessly when he reached Rachel Elizabeth Dare.

"Hello to you, too. Nice to see you. How are you, Nico?" the Oracle didn't even look away from the canvas she was painting, hear easel set up facing the long island sound.

Nico rolled his eyes, "Something is wrong with Bia." He repeated, squinting at Rachel's painting, not that he would admit it, but it was a beautiful landscape of the sound and the beach.

"Why do you say that? Last I heard from Annabeth and Percy, they IMed me earlier today, they'd arrived at the Schola yesterday and everything was well enough."

Nico held out the small 'treasure box' Bia had left him with. It was nearly humming with energy. "Bia's keepsake box. It has mementos and-"

"Yea, she explained to me and Annabeth how one time one of the Nati got lost and she found them using a lock of hair. I didn't really get it, it sounded crazy and magical even for demi-god stuff. I think she even knew when one of the kids broke their arm with that."

"Whatever. The box has been freaking out all day and, look." Nico picked up a lock of hair and passed it to Rachel, "This is Bia's. Do you feel that?"

Rachel's eyes grew as she took the lock of hair in her fingers and felt the sadness in it. Snatching the box from Nico's fingers, she shut the lock back inside of it and slid it into her own pocket. "I'm holding onto this for you. If something is still wrong tomorrow, we'll talk to Chiron. It seems like she's upset about something, but it could be anything and there's not much we can do at the moment. It's not as though we can just show up at the Schola."

"You said everything was fine over there-"

"Yes, but that doesn't mean they'll welcome some random stranger showing up. They're not exactly being warm and fuzzy. From what Percy and Annabeth said they're pretty much keeping out people separate from most of the people over there. Percy and Annabeth less so because everyone has gotten to know Percy and is mostly ok with him, but anyway. You're not racing over there to see what's wrong with Bia."

Nico glared at the bossy mortal, mumbling something about people who think they're so important just because they spout green smoke and talk is rhymes.

"Darn right I think I'm hotstuff, now, come on death boy," Rachel put an arm around Nico's shoulders and grabbed her bag, leaving the easel and paintbrush she'd been using, "come help me practice those knife moves Annabeth was showing me."

"Why do you need to fight anyway?"

"Because it gives me something to do when I'm not spouting green smoke and speaking in rhymes. Besides, didn't we just say that I'm the very important and hotstuff Oracle? Monsters are probably lining up to come and get me when I'm not around all of you demi gods to keep me safe."

Nico rolled his eyes, but allowed himself to be lead toward the arena.

* * *

A/N Hope you guys enjoyed! My goal was to have two chapters up by today, as you see that was a fail, however, I foresee the next chapter going up by Monday night. It depends on my weekend, I'm leaving for the shore tonight and will be computerless till Sunday evening.

Please, review, comment, question as you see fit. It's your reviews that give me the backbone to continue posting this story for your edification. I must admit, whenever I open a review, I read it through my fingers first, scared for some sort of scathing, not even constructive flame. :-/

Enough rambling.

Thank you for taking the time to read my work!  
Miette


	16. damsal in distress?

I currently have no 'd' button on my laptop! The only way I can make the letter d is to copy and past it! So, finishing this chapter has been fun. Look for future chapters to have d in the inappropriate caps...I'll have to sort something out... :-/

In other news, thank yous to ., shoshana79, OriginalityNeeded, and Newbiegod35 for your reviews! Shoshana in particular, I'm happy to hear from you, you're one of the readers who's reviews I've grown to look for I was worried that I'd lost along the way!

I hope you all enjoy! Questions, comments, opinions, or if you just feel like talking, feel free to review/PM me at your leisure!

As my Grandparents would say on this fine March 17th

Beannachtaí na Féile Pádraig oraibh!

(Blessings of St Patrick Upon You)  
Miette

**disclaimer** I do not own PJO, that would be Rick Riordan**

* * *

"So, what do you think?" Percy and Annabeth were walking hand in hand along the beach, the Argo II visible behind them, moving with the waves.

Annabeth didn't even have to ask what Percy was talking about; both of them were still mentally turning over the meeting in the woods they'd left about an hour ago. "I don't know. I feel like we're missing a huge piece that's right in front of us."

"Like needing Rachel to guide us through the Labyrinth and not realizing we already had the answer?"

"I suppose. The whole thing about Bia and the war? That's for them to sort out. I like her, though I don't really know her well enough to _dislike_ her, but I think she's a good person and things just got…crazy," Annabeth shrugged, "I don't know how I would feel if I were one of the Romans, but it does sort of remind me of Silena. That's not our headache, though. There is so much else going on, this is just one more thing. Whatever happens with Bia, Hera seems insistent that Bia is a part of this. Almost, too insistent. What is Gaea up to? What is going on with the missing Hunters? There are so many things we are still blind about."

Percy dropped Annabeth's hand and put an arm around her shoulders pulling her close. "We'll sort it out, Wise Girl. We always do."

"Yes, but how close will we cut it this time?"

"Probably, very."

* * *

Bia glanced around, sluggishly, trying to figure out why she'd been sleeping in the front room of the Nidus and not her bed. A glance outside told Bia it was the middle of the night and she was very confused. Stiffly, Bia rose to her feet, she remembered Gwen, Kota, and Rey coming by, remembered breaking down to her sister sobbing out the whole story of how, when and why she made the decision to follow Andy to the Titans. Lou had made her a cup of tea and…Bia picked up the now empty mug and sniffed it. Poppy, passion flower, chamomile, and any number of other things to encourage sleep, had been mixed into Bia's green tea. Each of the sleep aids had most likely been somehow enhanced by Alouette's friend Amie daughter of Ceres, or Demeter, her mind now automatically supplied the Greek name she had learned. She couldn't imagine how she hadn't noticed at the time, but her own baby sister had dosed her, causing her to sleep what was left of the day away.

Now that she was awake, however, Bia would not be returning to sleep anytime soon. She silently made her way to the kitchen, not wanting to wake her sister and put water on for a fresh cup of tea. At first she didn't notice the glass sitting on the counter. It was as she made her way to the room she shared with Lou to change into pajamas while the water brewed that she noticed the makeshift vase holding a bouquet of wildflowers. Next to the flowers sat a note, saying 'For Bia' in Mica's precise, carefully formed letters. Along with Mica's 'Love Mica' was Drew's hasty, slopy scrawl and Kiki's 'autograph'. Kiki liked to practice how she would sign her name when she was a famous singer. Bia smiled at the flowers, leave it to those three. Not that she'd done a very good job of hiding the fact that something was wrong, Bia still thought that those three had a better idea of what was going on across the Schola at any given time than many other people. She left the flowers and, mindful of Lou sound asleep in her bed, Bia changed into pajama shorts and a cami, pulling her oversized zip up sweater over the whole thing.

After gathering her tea, Bia found herself back on the rock where she'd sat that morning. She laid back, her eyes on the stars visible above her. Though she wasn't happy that Lou had dosed her, she did feel far more relaxed and in control then she likely would have otherwise. She still wasn't happy. The afternoon of sleep didn't change what was going on or the poor way in which she'd handled the girls today, but somehow sorted her inner turmoil into place. The past could not be changed, but there were important things to be concerned about right now, including the fate of the world as it was known.

Sitting up to take a sip of her tea, Bia hesitated. She lowered her cup and reached up into her hair for a weapon she didn't wear. Cursing her foolishness in not carrying some sort of weapon just in case, she turned to the woods and the out of place sound she was almost positive she'd just heard. Straining her ears and eyes hampered by the dark, she listened to hear again the sound of a heavy foot against the underbrush. She heard nothing. She raised her cup back to her lips. Bia knew the sounds of the woods here at night. The footstep she'd thought she heard was too heavy to be that of an animal native to the woods. It could have been some sort of creature or monster, the woods here were kept stocked just as at Camp Halfblood, but Bia felt that that was not the case.

Bia stood, her tea clutched tightly in her hand. "Who's there?" She watched the woods from her spot, standing on her boulder for any sign of whomever or whatever had caused the sound. With a sigh, she finally had to admit to herself that it was likely nothing. Her imagination, or nerves, or just something that made its home in the woods was to blame for the noise that had disturbed her.

She turned her back to the woods and surveyed what she could she could see of the Schola from where she stood behind the Nidus. Everything was washed in moonlight, peaceful and quiet. This time, with her mind somewhere else, she didn't hear the foot falls coming toward her from the woods. She did, however feel the strong arm that wrapped around her waist from behind in an iron, vice like grip and the hand that came against her mouth and nose holding a cloth which successfully muffled any noise she voiced while struggling and with some sort of concoction on the material knocked her out.

Her last conscious thought before succumbing to the strong potion she was being forced to inhale was one of two fold irritation. The first part of her irritation was for the fact that she couldn't even imagine what everyone would think if she disappeared again _now_. They could only possibly be suspicious. The second part of her irritation was against herself for being so dumb as to be caught unawares and without a weapon. She couldn't shake the feeling that she had just become the damsel in distress, and she did not like it one bit. With that, her futile struggles against her anonymous captor ceased and her mug fell from her hand, shattering on the rock beneath her feet.

* * *

A/N Sry this is a bit short everyone, I've been nearly posting it for the last few nights. Well, short or not, here it is! I anticipate the next chapter by the end of Monday at the latest. I appreciate anything you have to say! Thanks for reading!

Miette


	17. Rude Awakenings

A/N A thousand mea culpas! I'm soo sorry for those of you who are still with me and have been excessively patient waiting for this. I'm afraid I've had this short bit for ages, but it was part of a longer chapter, the rest of which is not yet quite ready. As you can see for yourself, I've finally decided to just split this first bit off so I can at least finally give you something! Again, I'm sorry! I could give you the whole speech about why it's been soo long, but I'm sure you don't care about what's been going on in my personal life to keep me from providing you with this, soo, without farther ado!

Special thanks and welcome to my newest readers and people who have seen fit to fave and bookmark this humble story! Also special thanks to my readers Booksandbeachgirl and iscreamdrizzle. They were both a great deal of help to me in working out a few things as well as working out a few insecurities in regards to my writing! If you looking for something else, read iscreamdrizzle's Things To Be Resolved. It's quite good! Last thanks to "Ya know i dont have an account " for pointing out my mistake in regards to Clovis's father! Oops! It should have been Hypnos, not Morpheus. :-(

I hope you enjoy and you're still with me! It seems a few of you are on the same page as me!  
Miette

**Disclaimer** I own nothing that you may suspect truthfully is the intellectual property of Rick Riordan**

* * *

Alouette rolled over and looked at her clock through half closed eyes. Five o'clock was too early by far, to her way of thinking, to be awake on a Sunday morning. She flopped over onto her back with a hard thump.

"Lutum!" She cursed quietly, afraid that the noise of her bed banging and scraping against the floor with her movement would wake her light sleeping sister. She then bit her lip realizing that if she had woken Bia, she was about to get a reprimand for her language, "Sorry, Bibi, I-" Lou began quietly, turning toward her sisters empty bed. "What?" Lou stared at the bed a moment, confused, still half asleep. It looked just as Bia had left it yesterday, neatly made piled with pillows and a worn old teddy bear, a book laying on her bedside table. Fear and concern as to her sister's whereabouts blew away the last fog of sleep from Lou's mind. As her feet hit the cold floor, missing her slippers, yesterday's events began to come back to her. "Of course," she whispered to herself, realizing the Bia must be still sound asleep in the front room where Lou had left her. She'd figured Bia would wake up at some point last night and make her way to the bedroom, waking Lou in the process to yell at her for dosing her. The dose must have been stronger than Lou realized. She made a mental note to tell Amie that her herbs and whatnot were getting stronger. Lou tied her robe about herself, and quietly made her way out of the bedroom on her now slippered feet.

The fire in the front room was banked low, Lou smiled thinking what a benefit being a daughter of Vesta and having their own little fire was in the winter and on cold mornings. However, when she realized that Bia was not laying where she'd left her, by said fire, Lou's smile slid into a frown. Quickly, Lou spun around the room, assessing if anything looked out of place or helpfully different. Lou padded into the kitchenette, absently smiled at the flowers and note the periculum triplex had dropped by yesterday before dinner. In the sink sat the mug in which Lou had given Bia the dosed tea, the kettle sat on the stove, as though Bia had recently made a fresh cup. 'Ok,' Lou thought to herself, 'Bi woke up, made tea, and…? Went to the rock.' Lou made her way outside to the pale, early morning light.

Lou ignored the niggling feeling in the back of her mind regarding Bia's location. Her sister would be in her favorite spot, far enough out of the way that no one found her unless they knew to look for her, but close enough that she knew what was going on around the Schola and was in the midst of everything. "O deis!" Lou breathed before letting out a string of nearly every profane word and expletive she knew in both Latin and English, forgetting all of her sisters admonishments to speak like a lady in reaction to the sight before her. Quickly, Lou turned her back on the rock where she'd expected to find her sister lounging and ran back to the middle of the Schola proper, sucking in a deep breath, getting ready to shout for someone to come help her before it occurred to her, just in time, that discretion may be better.

Alouette stood in the center of the cluster of tents that was the Schola, turning quickly around, trying to decide who she should wake. After a moment's hesitation Lou turned toward the Domum lovis, or House of Jupiter, Jason's tent and hoped he was there, alone.

"Jason?" Lou spoke just above a whisper as she stepped into the tent, "Hello?" She saw Jason fast asleep, one thin sheet partially covering his boxer clad body. A faint blush warmed Lou's checks as she walked toward the sleeping leader of the Schola. "Jason, please help me!" She tentatively shook his shoulder, hoping he would be easy to wake. He simply turned away from her touch, remaining in a deep sleep. The image of what had greeted Lou at the boulder crossed her mind and in a moment of courage brought on by her stress, Lou yanked off Jason's sheet, loudly calling his name, "Jason Grace! Wake up this instant!"

"Wh-what?" Jason fell out of bed dazed and confused, though quickly coming to. In a moment he was on his feet, Ivlivs in his hand in gladius form, pointed at Lou.

"Put that down." Lou tilted her head inquisitively, "Is that Ivlivs? I thought it got destroyed when you and Piper and Leo were rescuing Piper's Daddy."

"Bia told you that story?" Jason turned the weapon in question back into a coin and placed it on his side table.

"Part of it."

Jason moved over to his footlocker and took out a pair of jeans, pulling them over his boxers. "It did get destroyed. Yesterday morning when I woke up here, that was sitting on my side table with a note from Queen Juno saying I would need it and not to blow it up this time. Evidently Vulcan fixed it; I think that was more of a favor to Jupiter than Queen Juno."

"Well, Queen Juno is right. You need a weapon, and one as powerful as Ivlivs will be helpful on your quest. You shouldn't have blown it up in the first place."

"You're as bad as your sister, the two of you, little mothering things. Next are you going to ask if I was eating right while at Camp Half Blood? Or if I have clean socks and what not for the trip to Greece?"

"Were you? Do you?" Lou's smile slipped, though, as mention of her and her sister's similar traits reminded her why she was there. "I take that comparison as a compliment, that is one of Bia's better traits. However, I'm here because I need help, Jason, not just for the pleasant early," Lou glanced out the door at the still pale light, "_very_ early morning banter. Put on a shirt, come on." She turned and walked out of the tent, leaving Jason to finish dressing and follow her.

As the young girl left Jason realized how early it actually was. Still pulling his sneakers into place, Jason went outside to meet Lou, noticing what he hadn't before. The girl looked disheveled, her face was paler than usual, her hair a mess, and she still wore her pajamas, robe and slippers. Not to mention the fact that, now that Jason was completely awake and not startled by being unceremoniously dumped on the floor, it wasn't exactly common occurrence to be woken up at any time by Lou, let alone so early on a Sunday. "What's wrong, Loulou?"

"I'm sorry Jason, I figured you were the best one to go to first. I work up early and Bia wasn't in her bed, it looked like she hadn't even slept in into, so I got really worried, then I remembered that I'd dosed her with a _ton_ of Amie's sleep herbs yesterday before I came to talk to you guys,-"

"That's why she wasn't at dinner. Reyna was going on about her being too scared to show her face."

"No, that's why. Anyway, I figured she hadn't woken up yet and was still asleep in the front room of the Nidus. So, I went to check on her." As Lou spoke she led Jason back through the slowly waking tents. "She wasn't in the front room, so I got really worried."

"Lou, she probably woke up and went to sit in her spot. You know she likes-"

Lou held up her hand as they reached the Nidus, she gestured for Jason to walk around to the back, where Bia liked to sit.

Jason gave Lou a look, then walked around to Bia's boulder, what he found was not what he expected. There was clear evidence of a struggle. The shattered remains of a mug littered the large rock and the ground around it. There were drag marks, as though from a pair of feet, going from the rock into the woods. There were spots of blood among the ceramic shards, not a lot of blood, but enough. He turned heatedly on Lou, "do you know what she's done or where she's gone? Lou, if you're-"

"Jason! Really? She hasn't done anything or gone anywhere. I probably wouldn't tell you if I were helping her! You know her better than that, though. She wouldn't just up and disappear after yesterday. That's not her way. Before when she just up and disappeared, both times, she had a reason. Leaving to help Andy wasn't a good one, but it was a reason. She didn't just run away, if she left now, she would have just been running away and you know it. Even Reyna and Bobby will see that."

Jason sighed, "Ok." He took another deep breath, "as of right now, you're First Legion in your sister's place. If anyone questions your rank or where Bia is, you're stepping up because we're maintaining the First Legion here during the quest, Bia is running around getting things finalized and taken care of for us leaving tomorrow. We're not even telling Lupa that Bia is missing right now."

Lou nodded silently.

"Wake Gwen, tell her I need her, then go take care of whatever you have to, just go about the morning as you would. If someone can watch the Nati, can you get away before lunch?"

Again Lou responded with only a nod.

"Ok," Jason squeezed Bia's shoulddder. "We'll sort this."

Lou gave a Jason a faint smile before running toward the Domo Apollo to wake Gwen.

* * *

Nico sat up in bed suddenly. He glanced at his clock, realizing first that it was a bit after six o'clock, an hour before his alarm would have woken him. Then, he realized that it was in fact still the weekend, meaning it was actually two hours early that he'd woken up. Falling back into bed Nico replayed the dream he'd just had, hoping that would contain the clue as to why he'd woken so suddenly. Bia, she'd been in his dream. She'd walked outside with some sort of hot drink. It looked like some sort of permanent tent, she'd walked out of. Bia walked around to the back and sat down on large boulder. It was early where Bia was. Something in Nico's mind told him that it was around 3 in the morning, making it now, based on the time difference. As Nico watched, the girl seemed to be sitting, deep in thought. Something in the forest beside which she was sitting startled her. Standing, she turned toward the trees, evidently deciding there was nothing there, Bia turned her back on the trees. That was when things went downhill. Out of the trees came three figures. One of the figures, a boy around 16 or so, came up behind Bia, wrapping one arm tightly around her waist, in his other hand he held a cloth with which he covered her mouth and nose. Bia struggled, forcefully against the boy, but she was caught off guard and he appeared both bigger and stronger than the petit girl. She kicked at the boy, and threw her head around, managing to hit him in the nose, causing it to bleed. It happened quickly, within seconds, Bia was collapsing in the boys arms, dropping her mug to the shatter on the boulder, coating her lower legs in hot tea. As Bia's struggles gradually subsided, the boy dragged Bia into the woods where a Dracaena and an Earthborn were waiting.

"Lutum…" Nico muttered quietly, not even noticing that he'd picked up the curse in latin that often crossed Bia's lips. Swiftly, Nico rose and dressed. Less than five minutes later, he was running into the woods towards Rache's cave. No Percy, Thalia, or Annabeth ment that Rachel was the person at the very top of Nico' very short list of people he would go to when in need of help.

* * *

Over the rim of her coffee mug, Rachel glared at the Nico. Her hair in a messy bun, wearing bunny slippers and a fluffy robe over her threadbare pajama pants and over sized t-shirt, she was in no mood to deal with the young demigod.

"Now that I have my 'nectar', why am I awake at the moment?"

Nico ignored Rachel's cranky mood, "Bia's been kidnapped."

"It's even earlier in California than this ungodly hour here!" Rachel sighed, seeing the genuine concern on Nico's face, "Nico, she's probably safe and sound and warm in bed. Why don't you IM her later this morning?"

"Don't be dumb, Rachel! You've been around enough at this point! You know when demigods have dreams they're real! I had a dream about her sitting outside in the middle of the night, it must have been at the Schola and this guy grabbing her. She passed out, and he dragged her away."

"Ok, Bia's been kidnapped. IM Percy and Annabeth and ask them what's going on. What are you going to do? Go running off to California? It will take you forever to get there, you don't know where the Schola is once you get to California, and Chiron will never let you leave Camp."

"I'm not going to ask Chiron,

"So, you're just going to go?"

"If I have to. Got any rhymes for me?"

"Nico-"

"Rhymes, Red?"

With a sigh, Rachel tried to relax herself, tried to force some sort of prophecy out to help her friend. "No divine insight, I'm sorry, Nico. As your-"

"Fine." Nico cut Rachel off turning on his heel and heading back out of her cave.

"Freaking Demi Gods!" Rachel muttered under her breath, hurrying after the son of Hades.

* * *

A/N Constructive Criticism and gratuitous compliments are greatly appreciated! I also love to simply talk to you guys and see what you're thinking or suspect and what not! Please comment, review, message as you see fit!

Thanks!  
Miette


	18. Arguments and Prophecies

A/N Thank yous to iStoleYourBlueMoonIceCream, Sabine8195, iscreamdrizzle, and ., and everyone else for their reviews and support! I'm sorry about the long delay. I don't want to influence your perception of this chapie soo I'll leave my comments for the end, but please, read, enjoy, comment as you see fit! After this their should not be such an epic wait!

Thank you!  
Miette

**Disclaimer** I own nothing that you know perfectly well belongs to Rick Riordan

* * *

"You do it, Leo."

"Me? Why me? You do it!"

"Why me?"

"Because, Piper, you're friends with her."

"I'm not _that_ good of friends with her!"

"Well, I value my life, and I think it would be in danger if I wake them up."

Hazel laughed as she took in the scene she discovered poking her head into the Domum Neptunia, "You guys haven't woken them up yet?"

"Would you like to?" Piper asked the other girl as Leo became a bit tongue tied.

"No thank you, I don't feel like a knife fight before breakfast and while I've seen that Percy is useless this early in the morning, I feel as though Annabeth could probably have that knife of hers out of the sheath and at my throat before I got a 'Good morning' out. Come on, I have an idea."

Ten minutes later, three other people found themselves standing before the bed in which Percy and Annabeth were still sleeping soundly. Mica, Drew, and Kiki were each wondering how they'd ended up in this position and figured Hazel _really_ owed them.

"You wake them up. He likes you and she's your sister."

"Me?" Mica shoved Kiki toward the bed, "_You_ wake them up! No one gets mad at you when you smile and look at them with those big eyes. You're as bad as the Venus girls!"

"Why don't we just dump a glass of water on them and run?" Drew asked, already inching toward the door.

"Son of Neptu-er Poseidon. Wouldn't work." Mica said with an eye roll.

"Oh yea."

"Fine!" Kiki took a breath. "I'll wake them up!" She stepped closer to the bed where the couple lay, seemingly having accidently fallen asleep the night before.

Percy and Annabeth were both still in their clothes from the previous day, a blanket messily pulled over them, almost as though done in sleep. The sheets were under them, only slightly rumpled. Annabeth lay facing Percy, one arm pillowing her head which was tilted against his chest, the other thrown over his waist, her blonde hair fanning out all around her. Percy hugged Annabeth to him, one arm under her shoulders, one around her waist.

Kiki paused another moment, gazing at the couple trying to decide who was her safer bet. Finally, she walked around to the far side of the bed, "Percy?" gently she shook his shoulder, while her brother and friend crept toward the door.

Percy, for his part, shifted slightly, mumbling something in his sleep.

"Percy!" Kiki tried a bit more loudly, shaking him with more force, "Percypercypercy! Time to wake up!" The girl practically shouted at him by the end.

"Wha-what?" Percy sat up quickly, while Annabeth's hand flew to the knife sheath on her thigh.

"Oh." Annabeth noticed their audience first. "Hi, guys." A light blush covered her cheeks as she sat up. "What's up?"

"It's almost time for breakfast." Kiki said walking back to join Mica and Drew by the door.

"Hazel and Piper sent us to wake you up." Drew added.

"They figured you'd be nicer about us waking you than them." Mica said with a small smile.

With goodbyes, the nati left an embarrassed Annabeth and a still partially asleep Percy.

"Hey, Seaweed Brain." Annabeth leaned down to kiss her boyfriend, "Evidently, we fell asleep last night."

"Oops." The smile Percy gave her, along with the tone of his voice told Annabeth that he wasn't at all contrite about their rule breaking.

"I can't believe Hazel and Piper sent those three in to wake us."

"It was probably self preservation."

"What is _that _supposed to mean, Seaweed Brain?"

"Nothing," He innocently replied, pulling Annabeth back to lay beside him.

"Come on, we've got to get up! I've got to go and get changed."

"Just stay here another minute."

"Everyone is probably already talking about my staying in here last night!" Though she didn't fight as her boyfriend fit her against him.

"Nah, it's not quite as bad here as at camp, gossip and rumors don't go around as fast. People mind their own business a slight bit more than at camp."

"Oh."

"What do you think of here so far?"

"I don't know, it's not what I was expecting."

"Oh yea?" Percy pressed his lips to the back of Annabeth's neck.

"Stop that." She smacked his hand before continuing their conversation, "I guess in some ways I was just picturing it like camp, but different, but from what Jason and Bia said, I sort of pictured it would be a whole camp full of Clarisse and her siblings running around."

"Ha! Could you imagine a one on one Reyna and Clarisse?"

"That's something I would like to see one of these days."

"Here really isn't so different from Camp, and they're putting on a good face for you guys. Plus, just in the time I've been here, I've watched them relax a lot. I was talking to Jason after you guys got here and he couldn't believe how much more relaxed the feeling was. Before you guys left camp, Bia and Jason made First Legion swear they'd take care of you guys, and as you may have noticed, haven't really dealt with many people besides them. I'm pretty sure Jason threatened Rey and Bobby into playing nice, too."

"So, his words law around here? I'm pretty sure even if you told Clarisse she had to behave she'd just ignore you," Annabeth paused, "or run you through."

"Yea, she would. Pretty much, next to Lupa, Jason is the boss man. With him gone, it was Rey running everything. They run things here much more like a military compound than a summer camp, well, not that you would know that recently. They're all nice enough, but they'd rather stick to who and what they know. It just easier to hit first then ask questions."

"I guess that sort of makes sense. I'm glad they had warning we were coming."

"I'm glad you came." Percy pulled Annabeth so she was now facing him. Lightly he pressed his lips against hers.

"UP! WAKE-UP!" Rhythmic pounding against the taught cloth of the tent wall accompanied the voice, which sounded suspiciously like Gwendolyn.

Annabeth pulled away, "I'm glad you remembered me," then pressed her lips back to his.

"Me, too, Wise Girl, me too."

* * *

Piper folded her feet under her as she sat on the deck of the Argo II. She'd thought the tension yesterday with the 'Bia Situation', as she, Leo, Annabeth, and Percy had referred to it, was bad, but today it was nearly a tangible thing visible in the air. Something more had come up or about and she really hoped the reason that Jason seemed to be gathering everyone on the Argo II would involve her being informed of what in the world was going on. No one had seen Bia since yesterday morning. Piper overheard Lou telling one of the legionnaires that Bia was running around taking care of a few things for the departure tomorrow. The younger daughter of Vesta hadn't batted an eye telling the tale, but Piper knew it wasn't true.

"Jason. What is going on? Where is Bia? She's not _still_ hiding in the Nidus, is she?" It didn't seem likely, but Piper had known the girl such a short time who was she to make such assumptions about Bia's actions?

Leo, who had been sitting on a crate beside Piper looked up, equally as curious as Piper to hear what Jason had to say.

Jason sighed looking more tired than he had since they'd rested after their quest, "Bia is missing. There are signs of a struggle. It _looks_ as though she actually has been taken this time."

"Seriously?" The look Leo gave Jason was incredulous.

"This is turning into a bad soap opera."

"Yea," Hazel agreed, stepping onto the Argo II just in time to hear her sister's comment, "too much drama and not enough decadent, gratuitous sex." She leaned against the rail on the opposite side of Piper as Leo.

"Is everyone else coming?" Jason asked Hazel, ignoring her comment.

"We're here." Percy said as he and Annabeth stepped onto the ship, hand in hand.

"Lou is still cajoling Amie into watching the Nati, Gwennie will be here in a second, she was just talking to DB about something, Reyna and Bobby were arguing about something when I walked by, and here is the DD." Hazel finished as Dakota stepped onboard.

"DD?" The girl in question asked.

"Daughter of Darkness." Hazel smiled as Dakota tried not to roll her eyes.

"Oh, don't you think you're clever."

"Rather." The daughter of Aphrodite smiled at her friend, who could not contain her eye roll this time.

"Why do we keep you around, again?"

"Every good story needs a 'Lover'."

"Really?" Gwenn stepped on to the ship, tying off her hair braid, "here I always thought you were the waif of our merry band."

"Ha, ha, ha."

"No," Dakota shook her head mock sadly, "I have to give Haze this one. Though, I suppose our absentee parents could cause at least some of us to be waifs, by definition, part of being a waif is the whole hardship and loss, being removed from previous circumstances, usually positive ones. It's that, not being irritating and useless that makes someone a waif. _Some_ waifs are actually kinda kick ass"

"Sort of Sara Crewe?" Piper asked.

"Exactly!" Hazel pulled Piper into a quick one armed hug.

"I feel as though, Bia all of a sudden is our waif." Reyna said as she and Bobby, both bearing evidence of a recent physical altercation, boarded the Argo II.

"From Mother to Waif in less than 24 hours." Lou said sadly as she joined the older demi gods aboard the ship.

"Yes, well, though, I almost wonder if she weren't more correctly one of the shadows of the mother and we didn't notice it all of this time."

"Ok, enough!" Bobby said exasperatedly as he took a seat, "When you guys start talking literature and books and archetypes, it's even worse than when Gwenn starts talking music because to some extent you all get in on this one!"

"Now, you want to talk archetypes, Maryanne Dashwood-"

"Yes, she's totally-"

"Taceo!" Jason stood commanding the girls to quiet. The look of him, as he stood there, irritated with the girls, commanding, powerful, was a side of him the Greeks hadn't seen of him yet and one the Romans hadn't seen in a while. Everyone could tell, though, that there was not room for discussion. At that moment, he was the leader of the Schola and would take no nonsense, there were serious matters to discuss. Piper couldn't quite decide how she felt about this view of Jason, though there was definitely something to it that she found thrilling.

Reyna glanced at the other Roman girls, all of them knowing they were in 'trouble'. "Lorem paenitet, Dux." She apologized quietly, speaking for each of them, standing to attention. With a small bow toward Jason, she took her rightful official spot at his right hand as Bobby moved to his left, the two next in command under Jason. The look in Reyna's eyes, however, when she delivered her quiet apology, suggested that she in turn wouldn't take much more temper or pull of rank from Jason in this situation.

"Sorry, guys, but seriously, book club later?"

"Quippe." Gwenn said with a smile, "Now, about Bia? What do you have in mind, Legatus?"

"Lou?" Jason turned to the girl, and with a gesture, encouraged her to recount the early morning events that had lead to this second clandestine meeting in less than 24 hours.

"Ok," Bobby said slowly, "so, the girl who cried wolf was actually eaten this time."

"So it would seem." Jason replied, he ignored the brief smirk Lou threw at him, pleased that it seemed she would be proven correct about Bobby and Reyna's assessment of the situation.

"We can't put off the quest-"

"The quest?" Piper interrupted Bobby.

"Piper," Annabeth tried to silence Piper, but the daughter of Aphrodite was on a roll.

"We can't put off the quest? We can't leave Bia to whatever is going on!"

"And what do you know, Greek girl?" Reyna took a step toward Piper.

"I know that we can't just not help Bia! I know that while Annabeth, and all of the Camp, was searching for Percy, you guys did nothing to look for Jason!"

"That's not fair," Gwenn said, stepping between the other two girls.

"Shut it, Gwendolyn!" Reyna growled at her friend.

"Come on, Beauty Queen," as Leo tried to calm Piper, she remembered something.

With a sweet smile, Piper lowered her voice, "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have gotten all worked up. Don't you think it may be a good idea to go after, Bia, though?" Everyone looked as though they were considering what she was saying. "You're worried about Bia, right? We need to find her and make sure she's ok, don't you-"

"Hey!" Hazel smacked Piper's arm, breaking her concentration. "That's not nice!"

Piper shrugged sheepishly, "I don't usually like it, but I figured maybe it was worth a try for this."

"Did you just Charm Speak us? _Again?_ What is with you lately?" Leo glared at Piper affronted as he realized what had just happened.

"Sorry." Piper muttered looking at her feet.

Jason tried to hide his smirk, "Weren't you very anti-charm speaking? Leo's right, it seems like you've been doing that more lately."

"Special circumstances." Piper muttered to her feet.

"Well, I think she has a point-" Gwenn was cut off by a surprised Annabeth.

"Nico?"

* * *

"Just hush and follow!" Mica heatedly whispered to the two children of Apollo scurrying behind her. "Minerva always has a plan!"

"Yes," Drew grumbled, "_Minerva!_ You're _mother_ not _you!_"

"Just hush, Drew!" His sister growled at him from behind. The poor boy was stuck between the two girls, who between them didn't have two bits of sympathy for him to rub together. "You heard Hazel, and Piper, and Leo whispering after they asked us to wake up Annabeth and Percy! Now, they're meeting all secret again, and no one has seen Bia? You want to know what's going on just as badly as we do!"

"I'm just saying! Just because Minerva always has a good plan, doesn't mean Mica does!"

Mica turned around, her glare silencing the bickering twins, "do you have a better plan?" she waited a moment for Drew to respond, "I didn't think so." She continued making her way toward the beach where the three children intended to get aboard the Argo II where they knew the olds were meeting to discuss whatever the heck was going on. "You know they're keeping something from us, again! We can help! If they would just let us in on whatever it is!"

"They're not just going to let us tag along and help!" Drew said, hurrying behind Mica, "I'm just saying!" He held up his hands at the glare the girl gave him. "I want to get away from here and do something as much as you do, but they won't just agree to us coming _if_ they're going somewhere."

"No, really?" Kiki lightly shoved her brother from behind. "That's why we're sneaking!"

"I got _that_ part!"

"Come on, Drew!" Mica sighed and turned around to face her friend. "Just trust me?"

"Lead on," Drew said with a wave of his arm, "Oh Brilliant One."

"Darn right, I'm the Brilliant One! And don't you forget it!"

"Wonderful, now we'll be hearing that for the next month. Did you have to lay it on _that_ thick?" Exasperation colored Kiki's voice as she questioned her brother.

Silent the rest of the way, the three children made their way to the Argo II, trying to stay out of sight of the older demi-gods they knew to be meeting aboard.

"Ok," Mica kept her voice low. "They are near the center of the ship. If we manage to get up here, near the aft…"

"Aft?"

Mica ignored the question and continued, "and keep out of sight behind the wheelhouse…"

"Wheelhouse?"

"…and all of those crates and barrels, we should we able to get close enough to hear. If we stay quiet, they won't notice us."

"How are we supposed to get up there, though?" Kiki shaded her eyes as she looked up at the ship, towering above them.

"I know what Mica has in mind." Drew said with a smirk. He'd wondered why Mica had asked him to bring his bow and quiver when they were sneaking around. He pulled a particular arrow from his quiver and notched it. This arrow, instead of having a traditional arrow head instead had a grappling hook. A length of strong rope was attached to the opposite end. With a silent pray to his father, that he manage this, he'd hate Mica's plan to mess up because of him, and another quick pray to Mercury that they manage this sneaking _silently_, Drew notched the arrow, took aim, and let it fly.

"Yes!" Kiki crowed, quietly, clapping her hands as she bounced from foot to foot.

With relief, Drew lowered his bow, glad he hadn't messed up in front of Mica. Mica, in turn was carefully tugging on the rope dangling from the grappling hook, now hanging securely onto the ships rail.

"Now, up we go!" She said happily.

* * *

Nico glanced around a moment, gathering his bearings as he came out of the shadow travel. "Hey!" He grinned sheepishly at both the familiar and unfamiliar faces around him. At that moment, with that particular facial expression, the family resemblance between Percy and Nico was striking.

"And why are you here?" Annabeth asked exasperatedly, throwing up her hands.

"You all know this guy?" Bobby asked, his hand on his sword hilt.

Percy spoke up, before Annabeth could answer, "My cousin, Nico di Angelo, Son of Hades."

"Hey Perc. How's the memory working?"

"Getting there," Percy said with a shrug.

"That's good, the Stolls are-Oh Styx!" Nico interrupted himself as the boat rocked slightly due to the sudden addition of the weight of a Hellhound and her passenger. "I thought I lost them. Red, GO HOME!"

Rachel slid off of Mrs. O'Leary's back, dizzy from her trip through the shadows. "I don't know how you guys do that! Percy, I think when you get home, you need to get more treats for Mrs. O'Leary, I couldn't find any." Mrs. O'Leary bounded over to bathe Percy in saliva, leaving Rachel to sit on the deck of the ship as she regained her equilibrium.

"Would someone like to explain what is going on?" Each of the Romans, besides Jason, had blades at the ready.

"Yes, that's a good question." Annabeth said, gesturing for the Romans to lower their weapons, "They're friends, but I'm just as curious as to why they are here as you are." Annabeth folded her arms across her chest, glaring at the two new comers.

"And the Hellhound?" Dakota asked looking askance at creature now, collapsed in an exhausted, snoring heap.

"Also a friend," Percy said, scratching his faithful pet behind the ears.

Turning back to the newcomers, Annabeth raised an eyebrow, "Guys?"

Rachel and Nico began speaking at once.

"He just goes tearing off…"

"If she would have just helped me out…"

"I told him just to send…"

"I wasn't going to sit and…"

"…but nooo, he wouldn't listen or…"

"Ok! Enough!" Gwenn looked back and forth between the Greeks. "You can actually understand what they're going on about?"

"You get used to it," Percy shrugged.

"You stay out of this! Mr Go Disappearing without a trace! As though we didn't have enough to sort out with Olympus being closed! You're mother was beside herself! Poor thing thought with the war over she had less worrying over you to do!"

"Oh my gods! Mom and Paul!"

"They're fine." Nico said, as he and Rachel both joined the group, instead of remaining a few feet away on either side where they had arrived.

"We went to visit them. Once we knew for sure where you were and that you were safe. They found out what the baby is going to be, by the way."

"Baby? Mom's pregnant?"

"I guess he hadn't remembered that detail yet." Rachel said with a laugh, "yes, you're mother is pregnant and she said if you are not home in time for the birth you had better have a good reason."

"She sent cookies, too." Nico added, "But we ate them all."

"We? Di Angelo? We?"

"Ok, I ate most of them. They wouldn't have been any good by the time Percy got to them, anyway." Nico muttered the last bit under his breath.

Rachel rolled her eyes, giving Percy a hug. "Missed you, hero."

"Missed you, too, Rach."

"This has been nice and all, but _we_," Reyna gestured to herself and her fellow legionaries, "would like to know what in the name of Jupiter is going on."

Rachel turned, hands on her hips "Put those pointy things away and we'll share."

Gwenn decided immediately that she liked this girl, though Reyna looked as though she wanted to use her 'pointy thing' on the red head.

"Well Death Boy, I guess it's your story to tell." Rachel said as she took a seat against Mrs. O'Leary.

"Maybe introductions would be a good place to start?" Jason said with a smile, enjoying the dumbfounded expressions on the faces of his fellow Romans.

"Nico di Angelo, son of Hades," the boy in question said as he went to pet Mrs. O'Leary, saying to her, "I'm sorry the irritating mortal made you take that long trip girl."

"Hey! See next time I help you out!"

"That's what you're doing?"

"Mortal?" Dakota's eyes flicked from sizing up her half-brother to the girl in surprise.

"Rachel Elizabeth Dare, clear sighted mortal and Oracle of Delphi, at your service," she said with a bow from her seated position.

"And the single most annoying female to ever be born," Nico muttered.

"The single most? Don't you think you're being a bit harsh? Clarisse can be irritating, ugh and some of those hunter girls Thalia hangs out with?" Rachel wrinkled her nose in distaste, "don't even get me started on some of the society girls I've met, far more annoying than me. I know you're no fan of your stepmother, either. You're just pissy because I couldn't give you a prophecy to help you find your new little girl friend!" Rachel glanced around, "Where is Bia?"

"I _told_ you, Rachel! She's been taken!" Nico looked at the faces around him for confirmation, "Right? She's not my girlfriend, either."

"Sure she's not," Hazel said with a giggle.

"Let me guess? Daughter of Aphrodite?" Rachel made a face, "Or, Venus?" She corrected herself, to Nico she replied, "I was holding out hope you were wrong."

Once the Romans had been introduced, with Bobby's already regularly limited patience running low, Nico finally began explaining what in New York had lead up to his and Rachel's arrivals.

"I woke up this morning, probably around 6 our time, from a dream of Bia being taken." Nico ran his hand through his hair; a gesture his friends knew was nervous and subconscious. He described the dream he'd had, which matched up with the scene that Alouette had discovered when she went looking for Bia. He explained how he'd seen a guy, around 15 or so grab her and drag her to the waiting Dracaena and an Earthborn. He smiled slightly when he described how he thought Bia had broken the guys nose, but started to lose his train of thought.

Rachel squeezed, his hand and took pity on him, "he came to my lair, and woke me up. He told me Bia had been kidnapped." Quickly she rehashed their conversation and the odd fact that she couldn't prophesize for him. "I had _everyone_ trying to help keep track of him all day. So he wouldn't just go off and do something stupid." She glared at Nico who was remembering sweet, quiet, Katie Gardener tying him up with rose vines and going to get Rachel when he finally managed, so he thought, to get away to Shadow Travel to the Schola. What the daughter of Demeter hadn't realized was that he could still stretch out his hand to reach just enough shadow for his needs. "Once, he finally did disappear, I grabbed Mrs. O'Leary, and just told her to travel to wherever Nico was. And here we are," she finished with a shrug.

"How did you manage to Shadow Travel here when you don't know where here is?" Hazel asked looking around at her fellow legionnaires to gauge how they were taking the newcomers story.

"First, I tried to lock in on where Bia was, but I just disappeared for a moment and ended up back where I started. So, then I used her little treasure box," he pulled the box in question out of his pocket, "I figured if I chose one of her friends to lock onto, I would most likely end up at the Schola. It worked."

"Wow, that was…_logical_. I'm impressed." Annabeth said with a small smirk.

"Shut up."

"Ok, but so now what do we _do_?" Leo asked, he was getting aggravated with the talking. He wanted to _do_ something. They had a kick ass war ship, evil giants and Gaea to fight, a missing Bia to find, and missing Hunters, including his best friend's hot sister. It was time to get this show on the road.

"Well, Juno said Bia was important to the quest. Do you think this is what she meant? Do you think she knew something like this would happen?" Gwenn asked, chewing on the end of a strand of hair in her anxiety.

"Actually," Reyna spoke up, "maybe it is." She looked thoughtful, thinking out her words just before she spoke them, "like, maybe a mini quest so we could all get used to each other before going to Greece? Working together, and fighting together? I mean, we all care about Bia. Like she's a mutual goal. Even more so than the quest itself, because it's an emotional goal, to save our friend?"

"That makes sense." Dakota nodded, thinking through what Reyna had said and trying to remember what exactly the queen of the gods had said when she'd appeared to them just the other day.

"Lupa always says a soldier is at their best, but possibly most dangerous when their emotions are affecting their actions. Maybe that's exactly what this is." Hazel said.

"So, maybe Bia isn't one of the seven? Maybe her part is something else completely." Jason said.

"So who are the seven, then?" Nico asked, he didn't want to be talking, he wanted to be finding Bia.

"Jason, Bobby, Gwen, Percy, Annabeth, Piper, Leo." Rachel said with certainty, "don't ask me where that came from, I just know it's-" Rachel didn't get to finish her own sentence, as she cut herself off. Her eyes began to glow and her posture more rigid as the raspy voice of the oracle took over,

'To work together is a must,

To reach the one you bear no trust.

This no task for dismissing,

For the greater journey you'll find the facts that you are missing.

Only with unity will success transpire,

Or in the battle the seven will fall to fire.'

Rachel slumped back against Mrs. O'Leary as the green aura faded.

"Does she do that…often?" Hazel asked hesitantly looking askance at the girl who was slowly coming around as Percy, who was closest, helped her to sit back up.

"Often enough," Annabeth sighed, "after the war she accepted the spirit of the Oracle of Delphi from the mummified hippie girl that was the last oracle."

"Mummified hippie-"

Nico shivered, "you don't want to know," he said cutting off Bobby. "Why couldn't you just do that this morning when I asked?" He said glaring at Rachel who was back in the conscious world.

"And you two left me stuck with him!" Rachel muttered to Percy and Annabeth before answering Nico, "You know it's not like Video On Demand all the time! I can't just prophesize on demand! Either you have to be granted a quest or she has to decide it's really important. What did I say this time, anyway? Something nice with unicorns and puppies for once?"

"No, but it didn't sound too bad, either." Lou said quietly, still a bit stunned by the red heads performance.

"You said we have to save Bia," Bobby answered, glaring at Nico when the younger boy interrupted him with a cheer.

"Basically," Gwen began to tick things off on her fingers, "Save Bia."

"Find out some stuff we need for the quest to Greece," Leo continued the list.

"We all need to play nice," Reyna put in.

"Or we fail against Gaea." Annabeth said quietly, wondering why all of this crap had to keep happening in their life time.

"Wonderful." Rachel replied. Smiling slightly at the four fingers Gwenn was now holding up, representing each statement.

"So, we move up our departure." Jason said with finality. "We leave tonight instead of tomorrow. Rey, you're in charge here. Gwennie, talk to DB about whatever you have to to have your tent affairs in order," the daughter of Apollo nodded already mentally reviewing the necessary instructions for her brother, "Kota, Hazel _tell_ _no one_ about the Bia thing, not even your seconds, I don't want it getting out."

"What about DB? Or Lupa?" Gwennie asked.

"If it becomes necessary, Rey will read DB in. We're going to do this quick and quiet and head to Greece. Maybe maybe not stop back here on the way."

Gwen nodded taking a deep breath. None of them expected anything like this happening anytime soon after the war.

"Ok, it's 1400 now, be back here and ready to leave at 1500."

"I'm coming with you guys." Nico said, stepping up beside Jason.

"Nico," Rachel interrupted.

"Look, I won't come all the way to Greece, unless something comes up and you need an extra sword, but if you don't let me come, I'll find away to try and rescue Bia myself."

Jason looked at Percy, who gave a slight nod indicating that Nico was as serious as a heart attack and determined.

"Once we find her, it will be good because I can shadow travel her and I home and you guys can continue to Greece and kick giant ass."

"Ok." The roman leader replied with a nod.

"Where are you guys going to start looking for Bi?" Dakota asked wishing she could come.

"Leave that to me." Lou replied holding out her hand for Bia's amoletum, or treasure box as Nico thought of it.

"I couldn't find her with it to travel to her."

"You're not her sister or a child of Vesta. Trust me. I can find my family. She's probably blocked, but I'll at least be able to get an idea.

With that, the group split up, to get ready for the journey they would be disembarking on in just under an hour.

* * *

Drew, Mica, and Kiki, sat staring at each other, mouths agape.

"Stow away?" Drew whispered, being pretty sure of the response his sister and friend would give.

The girls did not disappoint him, "Stow away!"

As soon as the older demi-gods had gone, the three children scurried off the ship the way they'd come.

* * *

A/N Ok, I hope you enjoyed. Now, I understand from my own experience why people post chapters they are not pleased with or proud of. My thought was usually, then fix it till you are! Maybe it's the chef in me. Anyway, this chapter has been written just about as you see if before you since the middle of March, besides a few slight edits, a few slight additions, and the subtraction of the previous chapter which was originally part of this chapter. However, I held it back soo long because I was unhappy with it. I can't put my finger on what it is, like when you meet someone and you have no good reason, but you just don't like them? Or you look at a picture or something and you know it's wrong, but you just can't put your finger on it? Well, that's pretty much how I've felt about this chapter. I finally decided to post it for your edification, though since holding it back wasn't improving it any. Now, we can at least accept this chapter for what it is and get on with the rest of the story (which is pretty much written, jsyk). If you have any constructive thoughts with what's wrong with this chapter please, feel free to share, otherwise, please take this chap for what it is, and I will have the next one to you shortly!

Thank you for reading!  
Miette


	19. Shortest Chap in the History of Writting

A/N I'm very sorry because I know there are a healthy number of people that are actually reading and enjoying this fic! I'm not sure if it's better to post of not to post this, but this is approx 354 words of proof that I'm still alive and still working on this fic. I know where it's going till the end but I'm having some difficulty fleshing out the outline right now, that and working a whole ton of doubles are the why of not having posted in awhile... soo here you are! There will be some more soon!

Miette

**Disclaimer** I don't own PJO, characters, world or plots **

* * *

Bia did not want to wake up. She did not want to open her eyes. She wanted to find her blankets that had evidently fallen off of her in her sleep, and roll over for another few hours, hopefully finding a way to lay that eased whatever this odd soreness wracking her body was.

With a groan, Bia rolled her neck, trying to relieve the discomfort of the muscles there. As she tilted her head back as far as her neck would allow it occurred to her sleep fogged mind how odd it was that no matter how she rolled her head, she wasn't contacting her mattress or pillow. It was with this realization that her complete consciousness returned to her in a rush.

Bia's eyes snapped open flitting around the dimly lit chamber she was in. Her body was stretched taut, bound in such a way that she was afforded little room for movement. Bearing the brunt of her weight, Bia's shoulders strained. She was suspended from aching wrists that were bound together tightly over her head. Likewise, her ankles were bound together. Try as she might, she couldn't connect her feet with the floor a few inches lower than her bare soles. Nor, could she raise her legs or kick them, due to the short length of rope leashing her ankles to the ground just out of her reach.

The one small mercy Bia determined of her state was the fact that she still wore her father's old, worn, over sized sweater, that she'd decided to put on at the last minute over her skimpy pajama shorts and cami, before going outside. It would have been better if it had been zipped closed, but, she reminded herself 'beggars can't be choosers', and it was still better than being in this position clad only in her gray cami and purple boxers. The question now, well, really there were two, was a) how did she get from sitting behind the Nidus drinking tea to here? And b) how in all the gods names was she going to get out of this?

* * *

A/N Sorry for the wait and length, but as the great Theodore Gisel says 'shorth is better than length'!

Miette


	20. The Story Continues Finally!

A/N Hello and welcome to the next chapter! Sry about the last chapter, idk how you all felt it content or lengthwise, but publishing that bit did help get through my writers block. Personally, as a reader, I greatly dislike overly short chapters, but I suppose it's content not length. It only took so long for me to post this chap due to crazyness at work. Sry about that. How else is counting down 5 DAYS! :-) Read! Enjoy!

Miette

PS- If anyone knows of some good, angsty/drama romance fics, let me kno! I'm kinda in the mood for one. Maybe a Nico is a manwhore one of TRATIE or something...Thanks!

**DISCLAIMER** Anything and anyone you recognize from the published PJO or HOO books are borrowed with all due respect from Rick Riordan. Anything else is mine**

* * *

Bia twisted her wrists, ignoring the scratching of the rough ropes against her skin. No matter how she pulled, it was no use. With an exasperated groan, Bia concluded that it must have been an Eagle Scout or Navy Seal or someone of the like that tied her up. Nothing had happened to her since she'd woken up, yet she felt completely defeated. Bia allowed her chin to drop to her chest, the strands of her hair that had come loose curtaining her face.

It was at that moment that her captor decided it was the time to come into her cell.

"Hello, pulchra."

Bia's head shot up at the sound of the familiar voice. It was much colder than she remembered, but that voice was still one with which she was familiar.

"Andy?" She couldn't look away from the boy standing before her, "you're – you're – you should be-"

"Dead? Yes, you did you're damndest to try and make sure of that, didn't you?" As they spoke, Andy had closed the distance between them. With his last two words, he reached up to caress Bia's pale cheek.

The girl turned her head away sharply, Andy's touch causing her skin to crawl.

With a tsking sound, Andy slid his still upraised hand to grasp the hair at the back of Bia's neck. "You really should be more accommodating to your host," his grip on her hair tightened, drawing a gasp from the girl, "and you're boyfriend."

"You're not…my…boy…friend." Bia tried to ignore the growing pain as Andy's fingers tightened and twisted in her hair with each of her words.

Andy released his grip on Bia with a rough shove, causing her to swing slightly in her bindings, "you should remember, Biatryz, I'm the person who controls the circumstances you find yourself in." He turned toward the door, "I alone can make things more or less comfortable for you." With that, Andy left, shutting the door firmly behind him.

"_Killing_ you wasn't enough of a 'Dear John' for you?" Bia shouted at the now firmly shut door. Angry energy coursed through Bia for a moment before dispersing as quickly as it had come, "Oh gods," the girl whispered quietly to herself, "this is _not_ good." With that simple statement Bia felt herself breaking down as tears of fear, frustration, and anger coursed down her cheeks accompanied by noisy sobs.

* * *

"_That's_ Bibi's kissing friend?" Drew asked, his nose scrunched in confusion.

"Shh! He'll hear you!" Kiki lightly shoved her brother's shoulder, a physical reprimand to accompany her words.

"You're louder than Drew!" Mica commented from Drew's other side, her voice only slightly softer than Kiki's.

"_Both_ of you are louder than me! Oh no," Drew muttered even more quietly ducking down.

The three young children had hidden themselves amongst the crates, barrels and various packaged supplies, on the opposite end of the ship from where the older demigods were except for one.

Nico diAngelo had stood, hunched over the rail of the ship, just beyond the wall of boxes the children were peering over, since just after the ship set-off. At this moment however, he was looking around, as though searching for something. He turned toward the children's hiding spot, where they had crouched down even lower when Nico began looking around.

The silence stretched, as the trio hid from Nico's searching eyes. Finally, as the silence stretched into what seemed like ages to the impatient children, they each peeked back over their wall of crates to where Nico had been standing.

"Where did he go?" Mica whispered when the three realized that the older demi god was no longer in front of them.

"I think a better question is 'what are you three doing here?'" The cold, calm voice came from behind the kids, causing them to jump.

"I think he went behind us." Kiki muttered as her brother repeated his previous statement of 'oh no'.

"I asked a question."

"Umm…"

"Well…"

"We…"

The son of Hades watched in silence, hands in his pockets, as the three younger half-bloods looked back and forth between each other and spluttered out the beginnings of answers. Finally, he raised an eyebrow, tired of their lack of answers. This simple action was enough to silence the Mica, Drew, and Kiki.

Mica took a deep breath and glanced at her companions, "we're going to help rescue Bibi." The daughter of Minerva's voice was resolute, her face set.

"You're Mica, aren't you?" He asked the petite girl, she really was a tiny thing, even for eight years old, "Daughter of Minerva." He turned to the twins, "and you two are Drew and Kiki, son and daughter of Apollo."

Kiki mouth made a small o of wonder, "how did you know?"

"Bia told me a lot about you three." He felt awkward with the children; he didn't have a lot of interaction with the younger demi-gods at Camp-Half blood. He'd enjoyed Bia's stories of the kids she took care of at the Scholla and seeing her with the kids at Camp.

"Oh," Kiki replied, dragging the word out and nodding as though that were the most perfectly understandable thing in the world

"Are you going to tell the olds we're here?" Drew asked, his arms crossed tightly against his chest.

"Yes," before the children could react, Nico reached out and grabbed Mica's and Drew's fingers tightly in his left hand and Kiki's wrist in his right.

* * *

A/N Thank you for your time! I hope you enjoyed! Questions, comments, opinions, and constructive criticism are more than welcome! As are gratuitous compliments!

Miette


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